Lionel Messi has officially ascended to the apex of tournament history, equaling the all-time record for the most goals ever scored at the FIFA World Cup. By finding the back of the net in Argentina’s dominant 3-0 win over Algeria, the legendary number 10 claimed his 16th career World Cup goal, moving dead even with Germany’s iconic marksman Miroslav Klose.
Substituted Ahead of Solo Record
The pursuit of the outright, standalone record will have to wait a few more days. With the win comfortably secured and the three points locked in, Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni opted to rest his talismanic captain, substituting Messi later in the match to a standing ovation.
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The maestro was replaced on the pitch by rising young talent Nico Paz, ensuring that Messi’s tally for the opening matchday remains frozen at 16.
Most goals ever scored at FIFA World Cup
Lionel Messi now shares space with the elite of the elite in global football history:
Lionel Messi (🇦🇷 Argentina) – 16 World Cup goals
Miroslav Klose (🇩🇪 Germany) – 16 World Cup goals
Ronaldo (🇧🇷 Brazil) – 15 World Cup goals
Gerd Müller (🇩🇪 Germany) – 14 World Cup goals
Date with Destiny: Eyes on Monday
Football fans worldwide will now turn their attention to Monday’s high-stakes clash, where Argentina is scheduled to square off against Austria in their second Group J fixture. All eyes will undoubtedly be on the Argentine skipper as he looks to find the single goal required to eclipse Klose and stand completely alone as the most prolific scorer in World Cup history.
Argentina 3-0 Algeria
Defending champions Argentina opened their World Cup campaign in style, cruising to a dominant 3-0 win over Algeria in Group J. Lionel Messi sparked the triumph, scoring a brilliant long-range rocket in the 17th minute. The historic strike marked Messi’s 16th tournament goal, moving him level with Germany’s Miroslav Klose as the World Cup’s joint all-time top scorer.
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