Messi becomes all-time World Cup top scorer, beats Miroslav Klose

At 38 years old, Lionel Messi continues to defy expectations, delivering record-breaking performances at the 2026 World Cup.

In Argentina’s 2-0 win over Austria, he scored twice, a display that saw him officially become the all-time top scorer in World Cup history, surpassing Germany’s Miroslav Klose.

Messi had already opened the tournament with a hat-trick and has now scored in six consecutive World Cup matches, a feat achieved by only two other players in history.

He is also just one assist away from breaking the record for most goal contributions in World Cup history, a mark he currently shares with his childhood idol, Diego Maradona.

While younger stars such as Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland continue to push for global dominance, Messi is still setting the standard they are chasing.

Veteran French forward Olivier Giroud told BBC that maintaining elite performance at Messi’s age demands strict discipline, from sleep and diet to recovery routines and long-term physical care, alongside sustained mental resilience after more than two decades at the top.

“Playing at a high level at our age, you have to pay close attention to your life hygiene, how you sleep, your diet, and taking care of your body, because that’s the thing you rely on for work. The key thing is still having the desire, the motivation, the passion, to keep going,” Giroud said.

Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney said that while pace declines with age, technical quality remains.

“Coming into this World Cup, I pretty much wrote Argentina’s chances off because I didn’t think he could carry on at that level for another one. The one thing age can never take away from players is their ability with the ball. You put him around the penalty box and he has the ability to do things others can’t. It’ll be interesting to see whether it can last the rest of the tournament. If it does then it wouldn’t surprise me if we see him in the next World Cup for Argentina as well,” Rooney said.

Off the pitch, Messi is widely described as reserved and humble, though former teammate Cesc Fabregas has previously noted his fierce competitiveness once he steps onto the field.

His sustained brilliance stands in contrast to long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who at 41 endured a subdued opening match for Portugal in a 1-1 draw against DR Congo.

Portugal next face Uzbekistan in their upcoming World Cup fixture.