Lionel Messi breaks men's World Cup record to become all-time leading scorer

Lionel Messi has become the all-time leading scorer in men's FIFA World Cup history, breaking a record that has stood as one of football's most revered benchmarks. The Argentine captain surpassed the previous record at the 2026 World Cup, hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico, cementing his place as the most prolific scorer the tournament has ever seen.

The moment caps a remarkable World Cup journey for Messi, who won the tournament for the first time with Argentina in Qatar in 2022 and is now rewriting the record books once more on football's biggest stage. His relationship with the World Cup has been one of the sport's defining storylines — years of near-misses and heartbreak giving way to triumph and now historic dominance.

The record had long been considered one of the most durable in world football. Messi's achievement, reported by The Guardian, drew immediate global reaction, with tributes pouring in from players, coaches and football federations worldwide. For Argentina, it represents a moment of enormous national pride.

For Indian football fans, who have followed Messi's career with the intensity typically reserved for cricketers, the record is the culmination of a lifetime of watching the greatest player of their generation. Whether or not India qualifies for a World Cup in the foreseeable future, moments like these remind millions of fans why the sport holds such global power.