Messi becomes World Cup's all-time leading scorer
Lionel Messi scored two goals on Monday to take his FIFA World Cup tally to 18, surpassing the previous record of 16 held by German striker Miroslav Klose. The 38-year-old Argentine captain achieved the milestone during a match against Austria in the 2026 World Cup.
Messi opened the scoring in the 38th minute and added another goal in the dying minutes, despite missing an early penalty in the ninth minute that could have given him a hat-trick. He now has five goals in this tournament, including a hat-trick against Algeria in Kansas City, his first World Cup hat-trick.
Messi, who is both the youngest and oldest goalscorer for Argentina, has now scored in six consecutive World Cup matches. Only two players have achieved this before: Just Fontaine in 1958 and Jairzinho in 1970.
Mbappe matches Klose, chases back-to-back Golden Boot
Later on Monday, Kylian Mbappe also scored two goals against Iraq in his 100th appearance for France, taking his World Cup tally to 16 and matching Klose's previous record. Mbappe has scored four goals in this edition, following his four in 2018 and eight in 2022.
The 27-year-old French forward has already passed Olivier Giroud as France's all-time leading scorer. He is aiming to become the first player to win back-to-back Golden Boot awards. Mbappe scored twice in France's opener against Senegal and added two more against Iraq.
Early trend suggests double-digit Golden Boot winner
According to the article, considering the early trend, there is a possibility of the Golden Boot winner ending with double figures. Only three players have reached double digits in a single World Cup: France's Just Fontaine (13 in 1958), Hungary's Sandor Kocsis (11 in 1954), and Germany's Gerd Muller (10 in 1970).
Messi currently leads the scoring chart with five goals, while Mbappe has four. The 2026 World Cup continues to deliver memorable performances from two of football's greatest players.
