NPR for North Texas
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Lionel Messi breaks World Cup scoring record with his 17th goal for Argentina

Argentina's Lionel Messi (10) controls the ball while being pursued by Austria's Romano Schmid (18) during the World Cup Group J soccer match between Argentina and Austria in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, Monday, June 22, 2026.
Sam Hodde
/
AP
Argentina's Lionel Messi (10) controls the ball while being pursued by Austria's Romano Schmid (18) during the World Cup Group J soccer match between Argentina and Austria in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, Monday, June 22, 2026.

Lionel Messi broke the World Cup scoring record with his 17th goal in defending champion Argentina’s match against Austria on Monday, after he had missed a penalty kick earlier in the game.

The goal for a 1-0 lead came in the 38th minute and two days before Messi’s 39th birthday, and amid the concern of an ailing father back at home. It was the sixth consecutive World Cup game in which Messi has scored a goal.