2 min readJun 22, 2026 09:58 PM IST Arguably the greatest footballer of his generation, and one of the finest to ever grace the pitch, Argentinian legend Lionel Messi now stands just one goal away from becoming the all-time leading scorer in FIFA World Cup history. Messi opened Argentina’s 2026 World Cup campaign with a historic hat-trick against Algeria, drawing him level with Germany’s Miroslav Klose as the joint-top scorer in tournament history. Both icons now have 16 World Cup goals to their name, one ahead of legendary Brazilian Ronaldo, who sits third on the all-time list with 15 goals. Already holding the record for the most goal contributions in World Cup history (24), with 16 goals and 8 assists, Messi will claim the outright record if he finds the net in Argentina’s Group J clash against Austria in Dallas on Monday. Another generational talent, France’s Kylian Mbappé, is closing in fast. In just his third World Cup, the French superstar has already netted 14 goals. He opened his 2026 account with a brace in …