Lionel Messi recorded his 14th goal in FIFA World Cup history, scoring for Argentina in the 16th minute. This achievement further cements his reputation as one of the greatest players of all time, having now scored in five consecutive tournaments.
Messi's journey through five World Cups showcases a career marked by significant milestones. He arrived at the 2026 World Cup with 13 goals from four previous tournaments. His scoring history reveals a fascinating pattern: he netted one goal as a young player in 2006, followed by four goals in 2014 when he led Argentina to the final. After a single goal in a disappointing tournament in 2018, he exploded with seven goals in the 2022 World Cup, where he finally lifted the trophy in Qatar.
Messi’s 13 goals place him among the elite scorers in World Cup history. The current record for the most goals in World Cup tournaments is held by Miroslav Klose, who scored 16 in four tournaments for Germany.
As Argentina prepares for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Group J, the tournament, hosted across North America, will feature an expanded format that includes 48 teams. For Messi, now playing for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer, this could be his last World Cup appearance. Argentina arrives as the defending champions, adding further pressure and excitement to their campaign.
The narrative surrounding Messi’s scoring trends is intriguing. Unlike most forwards who typically reach their peak in their mid-to-late twenties, Messi defied expectations by achieving more goals at 35 in Qatar than he did at 19, 27, and 31 combined from his earlier tournaments. As neutrals watch the unfolding action, it becomes increasingly clear that Messi needs three more goals to tie Klose’s record and four to surpass it. Given his remarkable performance just four years ago, this goal is within reach.