Twenty years after scoring his first goal in a World CupLionel Messi reached the top of world football.
With a double against Austria, the Argentine reached 18 goals and became the top scorer in World Cup history.
Every so often the Albiceleste captain tells a different part of his journey. Some kept Argentina alive, others brought it closer to glory and several ended up elevating it to immortality.
From Germany 2006 to the United States, Mexico and Canada 2026, Messi turned each goal into a step towards eternity.
Eighteen times he celebrated on football’s biggest stage; Eighteen times he wrote a new chapter of a work that now belongs forever to the history of the World Cups.
1. Serbia and Montenegro (Germany 2006)
On June 16, 2006, Messi, just 18 years old, received a pass from Carlos Tévez, left the goalkeeper behind and sealed Argentina’s 6-0 win. It was Rosario’s first World Cup cry.
2. Bosnia and Herzegovina (Brazil 2014)
Eight years later he celebrated again. Messi drove the ball, combined with Gonzalo Higuaín and scored near the post to lead to a 2-1 victory.
3. Iran (Brazil 2014)
When the tie seemed inevitable, he appeared in the 91st minute with a left-footed shot from outside the area to give Argentina an agonizing victory.
4. Nigeria (Brazil 2014)
Messi opened the scoring by taking advantage of a rebound from the Nigerian goalkeeper. The captain reappeared at the right moment.
5. Nigeria (Brazil 2014)
Before the break he executed a masterful free kick that hit the post and scored his first double in the World Cup.
6. Nigeria (Russia 2018)
With exquisite oriented control and crossed definition, Messi scored the goal that kept the Albiceleste alive in the group stage.
7. Saudi Arabia (Qatar 2022)
His first goal in Qatar came from the penalty spot. Although Argentina fell unexpectedly, the goal was the starting point of a historic reaction.
8. Mexico (Qatar 2022)
With the Albiceleste on the verge of elimination, Messi took a shot from outside the area that paved the way to victory.
9. Australia (Qatar 2022)
In his thousandth game as a professional, the man from Rosario opened the scoring with a placed shot to take Argentina to the quarterfinals.
10. Netherlands (Qatar 2022)
Messi converted a penalty and seemed to seal the match, although the match ended up being resolved in a dramatic penalty shootout.
11. Croatia (Qatar 2022)
Again from the spot, the captain put Argentina ahead in the semi-finals before delivering one of the best performances of his career.
12. France (Qatar 2022)
Messi opened the scoring in the final with a penalty and made an entire country dream of the third star.
13. France (Qatar 2022)
In extra time he appeared again to score the partial 3-2 in one of the most memorable finals in history.
14. Algeria (World Cup 2026)
Messi began the defense of the title with a goal against Algeria and began the pursuit of Miroslav Klose’s record.
15. Algeria (World Cup 2026)
The man from Rosario scored again and made it clear that he still had unfinished business with history.
16. Algeria (World Cup 2026)
His hat trick in his debut allowed him to catch up with the German and ignite the dream of becoming the top scorer of all time.
17. Austria (World Cup 2026)
At the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Messi made history again by surpassing Klose’s mark with his seventeenth goal.
18. Austria (World Cup 2026)
The second goal of the night ended up elevating it to an unprecedented dimension. Twenty years after his first goal against Serbia and Montenegro, the Argentine reached 18 goals and was alone as the top scorer in the history of the World Cups.
The ten top scorers in World Cup history:
1 Lionel Messi (Argentina) 18 goals
2 Miroslav Klose (Germany) 16
3 Ronaldo Nazário (Brazil) 15
4 Gerd Müller (Germany) 14
4 Kylian Mbappé (France) 14
6 Just Fontaine (France) 13
7 Pelé (Brazil) 12
8 Jürgen Klinsmann (Germany) 11
8 Sándor Kocsis (Hungary) 11
10 Grzegorz Lato (Poland) 10