Argentina captain Lionel Messi has further cemented his place among football’s greatest players after extending his lead as the FIFA World Cup’s all-time highest goalscorer during the ongoing 2026 tournament.
The 39-year-old reached another historic landmark after scoring in Argentina’s dramatic 3-2 extra-time victory over Cape Verde, taking his overall World Cup tally to 20 goals, the highest ever recorded in the history of the men’s tournament. The strike also kept Messi at the top of the race for the Golden Boot and added another remarkable achievement to an already extraordinary international career.
Messi’s latest goal came in the 29th minute against Cape Verde in the Round of 32. The Argentine captain calmly finished inside the penalty area to give the defending champions the lead before later delivering the corner that led to the decisive own goal in extra time.
His performance once again demonstrated why he remains one of the most influential players in world football despite approaching his 40th birthday. Throughout the 2026 World Cup, Messi has continued to combine intelligent movement, creativity and clinical finishing, proving age has done little to diminish his impact on the biggest stage.
The latest goal means Messi has now surpassed every player to feature at the FIFA World Cup, extending the record he first claimed during Argentina’s group-stage victory over Austria earlier in the tournament. Since then, every additional goal has widened the gap between himself and the legends who previously dominated the scoring charts.
Updated World Cup All-Time Goalscorers
According to the latest FIFA World Cup statistics, the leading scorers are:
Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 20 goals
Miroslav Klose (Germany) – 16 goals
Ronaldo Nazário (Brazil) – 15 goals
Gerd Müller (Germany) – 14 goals
Just Fontaine (France) – 13 goals
Kylian Mbappé (France) – 13 goals
Pelé (Brazil) – 12 goals
Sándor Kocsis (Hungary) – 11 goals
Jürgen Klinsmann (Germany) – 11 goals
Thomas Müller, Gabriel Batistuta, Gary Lineker, Helmut Rahn and Teófilo Cubillas – 10 goals each.
Messi’s achievement is even more impressive considering the consistency he has displayed across six World Cup campaigns. From his debut as a teenager in Germany in 2006 to his inspirational performances in the United States, Canada and Mexico in 2026, the Argentine icon has continued to deliver decisive goals in football’s biggest competition.
Beyond his scoring exploits, Messi also holds several other World Cup records, including the most appearances, the most matches played and the longest scoring streak in tournament history. His goal against Cape Verde extended that streak to eight consecutive World Cup matches, another unprecedented milestone.
Among the active players capable of challenging Messi’s record is France captain Kylian Mbappé. The French superstar has enjoyed another prolific tournament and has climbed to 13 career World Cup goals, placing him level with Just Fontaine and within striking distance of the all-time podium.
At just 27 years old, Mbappé remains the strongest candidate to threaten Messi’s overall record in future tournaments if he maintains his remarkable scoring rate.
Germany legend Miroslav Klose, who previously held the World Cup scoring record with 16 goals, remains second on the all-time list. Klose broke Ronaldo Nazário’s long-standing record during the 2014 World Cup and retired as one of the competition’s greatest strikers before Messi eventually overtook him in 2026.
Brazilian icon Ronaldo Nazário occupies third place with 15 goals, while Gerd Müller remains fourth with 14. France legend Just Fontaine continues to hold the unique record of scoring 13 goals in a single World Cup tournament, achieving the feat during the 1958 edition in Sweden.
Messi’s latest milestone has once again sparked widespread admiration across the football world. Former teammates, coaches and pundits have praised the Argentine captain for maintaining elite performance levels well into the latter stages of his career.
Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has repeatedly described Messi as the team’s inspiration, while teammates continue to credit his leadership and experience as key factors behind the defending champions’ latest World Cup campaign.
With Argentina advancing to the Round of 16, Messi now has additional opportunities to extend his scoring record even further. Every goal scored from this stage onward will strengthen a record that many observers once believed would stand for generations.
As the knockout rounds continue, football supporters around the world will be watching closely to see whether the Argentine legend can guide his country to another World Cup title while adding even more chapters to one of the greatest careers the sport has ever witnessed.
