Lionel Messi did something on Sunday evening in Kansas City that no footballer, man or woman, had ever done before. Two goals against Austria in Argentina’s second group game took his career World Cup tally to 18, clearing Miroslav Klose’s long-standing men’s record of 16 and overtaking Marta’s all-time benchmark of 17 in a single 90-minute swing.
At 38 years and 364 days old, he is doing it on fumes and willpower, and it is extraordinary.
But here is the thing that makes this story genuinely compelling rather than just a footnote for the record books: Kylian Mbappé is three goals behind him, and this tournament has at least five rounds left to play.
How the Records Fell
The week that changed World Cup history started on 16 June, when Messi collected a hat-trick against Algeria to reach 16 goals and pull level with Klose. That performance made him the oldest player, at 38, to score a hat-trick at a World Cup, beating Cristiano Ronaldo’s record set in 2022 when he was 33.
On the same day, Mbappé bagged a brace against Senegal, taking his career tally to 14 and simultaneously becoming France’s all-time leading scorer with his 58th international goal, passing Olivier Giroud’s record of 57.
Then came 22 June. Argentina beat Austria 2-0, Messi scored twice, and by the time the final whistle blew, he had 18 World Cup goals, outright. No caveats, no ties, no shared podium. He is the record holder, alone.
Mbappé had his own moment that same evening. Two goals in France’s 3-0 win over Iraq brought him to 16, level with Klose in second place on the all-time list. He is now two goals behind Messi, not three, with the knockout rounds still to come.
Where Both Men Stand Right Now
As of 22 June 2026 (Matchday 9):
| Player | 2026 Goals | Career WC Goals | All-Time Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lionel Messi (Argentina) | 5 | 18 | 1st (outright) |
| Kylian Mbappé (France) | 4 | 16 | 2nd (tied with Klose) |
| Erling Haaland (Norway) | 4 | 4 | — |
| Jonathan David (Canada) | 3 | 3 | — |
| Folarin Balogun (USA) | 2+ | 2+ | — |
Both Argentina and France have qualified for the knockout stage. Both men, injuries aside, will keep playing. With a 48-team tournament offering eight possible matches for teams going all the way to the final, the Golden Boot race has never had as many goals available to chase.
The Context Behind Messi’s Numbers
People keep trying to find a ceiling for Messi at this tournament, and he keeps removing it. He arrived in the United States carrying a muscle injury from his final Inter Miami match before the tournament, and there were genuine concerns about whether he would even get through the group stage fully fit.
Instead, he scored a hat-trick on matchday one. Then two more against Austria. He has now scored in six consecutive World Cup games, only Just Fontaine in 1958 and Brazil’s Jairzinho in 1970 have done that previously.
He has also scored seven of the last eight goals Argentina have scored at any World Cup dating back to 2022. That is not a team carrying a legend through one final tournament. That is a 38-year-old still doing the actual work.
His 2026 tally of five goals already matches his best group stage haul, he scored four in the group stage in 2014, and the knockout rounds have not started.
Why Mbappé’s Chase Is Believable
The obvious argument against Mbappé catching Messi is simple arithmetic: two goals is not nothing, and Messi will keep scoring. But the numbers around Mbappé’s career progression make it worth taking seriously.
He has 16 career World Cup goals in just three tournaments. Klose needed four tournaments to reach the same figure. Messi, for all his brilliance, scored one goal in 2006, none in 2010, one in 2014, four in 2018, and seven in 2022 before hitting the ground running in 2026. Mbappé’s floors are higher, his worst World Cup return was four goals in 2018, as a teenager, in a France team that won the whole thing.
He also holds the record for the most multi-goal games in men’s World Cup history: six, after his braces against Senegal and Iraq. He does damage in batches. One good knockout run and the gap to Messi could close very quickly.
On top of that, this is the tournament where Mbappé could become the first player ever to win the Golden Boot twice, having claimed the award in 2022 with eight goals. That historical carrot is not going to slow him down.
The Golden Boot Picture Beyond the Two Giants
Messi leads the 2026 Golden Boot race with five tournament goals. But the rest of the field is not entirely out of it yet.
Erling Haaland has four goals in two games for Norway, who have already beaten both Iraq and Senegal to qualify early. He is 25, physically terrifying, and playing on a team built around feeding him. Jonathan David has three goals for Canada on home soil and the crowd behind him for every game. Folarin Balogun’s brace in the USA’s opening win announced him to a global audience watching from all over North America.
None of them are going to match Messi’s career record. But the Golden Boot, awarded to the tournament’s top scorer, not the all-time leader, is a separate race, and it is genuinely open.
What History Says About Late Surges
Just Fontaine’s all-time record of 13 goals in a single World Cup, set in 1958, still stands 68 years later. Only Gerd Müller (10 in 1970) has crossed the double-digit mark for a single tournament since. With an expanded 48-team format giving more matches to more teams, the 2026 edition could realistically see a player hit double figures for the first time since 1970, but only if they go deep and stay hot.
Messi and Mbappé are the two players most likely to test that ceiling. Messi already has five. Mbappé has four. If both Argentina and France reach the final, those numbers could look very different by mid-July.
FAQs
Who is the all-time highest goal scorer at the World Cup?
As of 22 June 2026, Lionel Messi holds the record with 18 goals across six World Cup tournaments, having broken Miroslav Klose’s men’s record of 16 with a brace against Austria.
How many World Cup goals does Kylian Mbappé have?
Mbappé has 16 career World Cup goals across three tournaments (2018, 2022, 2026), placing him second on the all-time men’s list alongside Miroslav Klose.
Who is leading the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot race?
Lionel Messi leads with five tournament goals as of Matchday 9 on 22 June 2026. Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland are both on four.
Can Mbappé overtake Messi as the World Cup’s highest goal scorer ever?
He would need to outscore Messi by three goals across the remaining rounds. It is possible, both men have qualified for the knockouts, but Messi has not shown any sign of slowing down.
What is the record for most goals in a single World Cup tournament?
Just Fontaine scored 13 goals for France at the 1958 World Cup, a record that has never been broken. Messi (7 in 2022) and Mbappé (8 in 2022) are the closest active players to that mark.
Has any player won the Golden Boot at two different World Cups?
No. Mbappé won the Golden Boot in 2022 and is currently challenging for it again in 2026. If he wins it, he would be the first player in history to do so at two separate tournaments.
