Lionel Messi Becomes 2nd Player In The World To Score 4+ Goals In 3 FIFA World Cup Editions

Published 22 June 2026 · sports

Lionel Messi Becomes 2nd Player In The World To Score 4+ Goals In 3 FIFA World Cup Editions Published By, Last Updated: June 23, 2026

Lionel Messi Becomes 2nd Player In The World To Score 4+ Goals In 3 FIFA World Cup Editions Published By, Last Updated: June 23, 2026, 01:17 IST Lionel Messi is only the second footballer after Germany's Miroslav Klose to score at least four goals in three different FIFA World Cup editions. Lionel Messi becomes second player to score at least 4 goals in 3 FIFA Word Cup editions. (Picture Credit: AP) After scoring a hat-trick against Algeria in Argentina’s opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Lionel Messi, arguably the greatest footballer of all time, scored twice in Argentina’s second Group J match against Austria on Monday (June 22). In the fixture played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, the 38-year-old opened the scoring in the 39th minute and added his second goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time after the end of regulation time. Messi’s opening goal helped him surpass former Germany striker Miroslav Klose’s tally of 16 goals and become the highest goal-scorer in FIFA World Cup history. He then extended his record tally to 18 goals before the final whistle. Most goals in FIFA World Cup POSITION PLAYER COUNTRY MATCHES GOALS EDITIONS 1. Lionel Messi Argentina 28* 18* 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026 2. Miroslav Klose Germnay 24 16 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014 3. Ronaldo Brazil 19 15 1994, 1998, 2002T, 2006 =4.

Gerd Müller West Germany 13 14 1970, 1974 =4. Kylian Mbappe France 15 14 2018, 2022, 2026 6. Just Fontaine France 6 13 1958 7. Pele Brazil 14 12 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970 =8. Sándor Kocsis Hungary 5 11 1954 =8. Jürgen Klinsmann West Germany/Germany 17 11 19901994, 1998 The first goal against Austria also took Messi’s tally to four goals in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, making him only the second footballer after Klose to score at least four goals in three different FIFA World Cup editions. Lionel Messi has now scored 4+ goals in three different men’s World Cups (2014, 2022, 2026).The only other player to do it? 🇩🇪 Miroslav Klose. pic.twitter.com/91lgTXvfqM — Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) June 22, 2026 Messi, who made his FIFA World Cup debut in 2006 and scored against Serbia and Montenegro on June 16, 2006, netted four goals in the 2014 edition and seven in 2022. He now has five goals to his name in the ongoing tournament. Lionel Messi’s goals in FIFA World Cup EDITION GOAL AGAINST VENUE DATE 2006 1 Serbia and Montenegro Arena AufSchalke, Gelsenkirchen June 16, 2006 2014 1 Bosnia and Herzegovina Estádio do Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro June 15, 2014 1 Iran Estádio Mineirão, Belo Horizonte June 21, 2014 2 Nigeria Estádio Beira-Rio, Porto Alegre June 25, 2014 2018 1 Nigeria Krestovsky Stadium, Saint Petersburg June 26, 2018 2022 1 Saudi Arabia Lusail Stadium, Lusail November 22, 2022 1 Mexico Lusail Stadium, Lusail November 26, 2022 1 Australia Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan December 3, 2022 1 Netherlands Lusail Stadium, Lusail December 9, 2022 1 Croatia Lusail Stadium, Lusail December 13, 2022 2 France Lusail Stadium, Lusail December 18, 2022 2026 3 Algeria Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City June 16, 2026 2 Austria AT&T Stadium, Arlington June 22, 2026 Klose, meanwhile, scored five goals each in the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups, four in the 2010 edition and two in the 2014 tournament, which Germany won by defeating Argentina in the final at Rio de Janeiro’s iconic Maracanã Stadium.