Most goals in World Cup history
Messi’s brace against Austria took his career tally to 18 goals, two clear of Germany’s Miroslav Klose, who had held the record outright since 2014. The mark stood unchallenged for 12 years before Messi matched it with his Algeria hat-trick and then surpassed it days later.
LIONEL MESSI. RECORD BREAKER.
The World Cup’s all-time top goalscorer at 38-years old… age is nothing when it comes to Lionel 🐐🍷
Scoring goals is just what he does 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/uF0EsLoN0E
— OneFootball (@OneFootball) June 22, 2026
Most World Cup appearances
Messi has now featured in 27 World Cup matches, one more than Germany’s Lothar Matthaus and four ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo, making him the most-capped player in the tournament’s history.
No outfield player has spent more time on a World Cup pitch than Messi, whose total now sits comfortably clear of former record holder Paolo Maldini.
First to play six World Cups
Messi became the first male player in history to appear at six separate World Cups, a feat now shared with Cristiano Ronaldo, who reached the same milestone days later with Portugal.
Most goal contributions in World Cup history
His Algeria hat-trick pushed his combined goals and assists to 24, moving him clear of Pele’s long-standing mark of 21, a record that had stood since 1970.
Most chances created
Even before the Austria match, Messi already held the record for the most chances created in men’s World Cup history since records began in 1966, with 74 across 26 appearances. Diego Maradona sits second on 71, followed by Wolfgang Overath on 62, Lothar Matthaus on 54 and Alain Giresse on 51.
Oldest player to score a World Cup hat-trick
At 38 years and 357 days old, Messi’s treble against Algeria made him the oldest player to score a hat-trick at a World Cup, taking the record from Cristiano Ronaldo.
Most consecutive matches with a goal
Messi has now scored in six consecutive World Cup matches stretching back to 2022, joining France’s Just Fontaine from 1958 and Brazil’s Jairzinho from 1970 as the only players in history to manage the feat.
6 – Lionel Messi is the third player to score in six successive appearances at the FIFA World Cup after Just Fontaine in 1958 and Jairzinho in 1970.
Super. pic.twitter.com/DambEr9Lxi
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 22, 2026
Most opponents scored against
The Algeria hat-trick also made Messi the first player to score against 11 different nations at the World Cup, moving ahead of Jurgen Klinsmann and Ronaldo Nazario on 10 each.
Only player to score in five different World Cups
Messi has found the net at five of his six tournaments, missing only at South Africa 2010, a feat matched by no other player except Cristiano Ronaldo.
Four or more goals in three different World Cups
Messi has now scored four or more goals in three separate tournaments – 2014, 2022 and 2026. Miroslav Klose is the only other player in history to achieve the same, doing so across 2002, 2006 and 2010.
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
Most goals by a player aged 38 or older
Messi joins Cameroon great Roger Milla as the only players to score four or more goals in a single World Cup at the age of 38 or older. Milla achieved the feat at Italia 90, becoming an unlikely hero for the African continent.
Remarkably, 24 percent of every goal scored by a player aged 35 or older across men’s World Cup history now belongs to Messi alone, with 11 goals since turning 35, ahead of Sandor Kocsis and Jurgen Klinsmann.
Elite company 👏
Lionel Messi joins 1990 Roger Milla as the only players to score 4+ goals in a single FIFA World Cup aged 38 or older. pic.twitter.com/3fPK8PKbf9
— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) June 22, 2026
The one record still standing between Messi and complete dominance of the World Cup history books is the outright assist tally, currently held by Diego Maradona. With Argentina already through to the Round of 32, there remains time yet for that to fall too.
Photo: REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach
