Lionel Messi added yet another historic milestone to his legendary career after becoming the first player in men’s football history to score 20 goals in FIFA World Cup matches. The Argentina captain achieved the feat during Argentina’s Round of 32 encounter against Cape Verde at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The 39-year-old forward scored in the 29th minute after collecting a long pass from Lisandro Martinez, controlling the ball expertly with his left foot before firing an unstoppable finish past Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha.
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The goal extended a record Messi had already broken earlier during the ongoing tournament.
Lionel Messi extends his lead in World Cup scoring charts
Messi broke the record set by legendary German player Miroslav Klose of scoring 16 goals in the World Cup earlier in the current ongoing tournament. The latest goal scored by the Argentine against Cape Verde brings his tally to 20, which puts him two goals ahead of French player Kylian Mbappe who has 18 World Cup goals to his name.
The updated list of the highest scorers in men’s FIFA World Cup history now reads:
- Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 20 goals
- Kylian Mbappe (France) – 18 goals
- Miroslav Klose (Germany) – 16 goals
- Ronaldo Nazario (Brazil) – 15 goals
- Gerd Muller (West Germany) – 14 goals
- Just Fontaine (France) – 13 goals
- Harry Kane (England) – 13 goals
- Pele (Brazil) – 12 goals
Another historic record for the Argentina captain
Messi’s remarkable World Cup tally has come across five editions of the tournament over nearly two decades. Entering the 2026 edition with 13 goals, he has added seven more during Argentina’s latest campaign, matching the seven goals he scored during the country’s successful 2022 World Cup campaign in Qatar.
His latest achievement also made him the first-ever player in the history of men’s football to score 7 or more goals in two different editions of FIFA World Cup tournaments. He also broke yet another record by becoming the first player to find the net for 8 consecutive times in the World Cup, since Round of 16 match of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
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To add to the importance of the landmark achievement, it also took place in Miami, where Messi currently lives as a player for MLS side Inter Miami CF.
As Argentina continues their quest for consecutive FIFA World Cup titles, Messi continues to write new records for longevity and excellence in football’s biggest tournament.
FAQs
Q1. How many FIFA World Cup goals has Lionel Messi scored?
Lionel Messi has scored 20 FIFA World Cup goals, which is the most by any player in men’s football history.
Q2. Who held the previous men’s FIFA World Cup scoring record?
Germany legend Miroslav Klose previously held the record with 16 World Cup goals before Messi surpassed him during the 2026 tournament.