Messi Breaks World Cup’s All-Time Scoring Record

Lionel Messi has broken the record for the highest number of goals in the history of the FIFA World Cup after scoring his team’s opening goal in their Group J match against Austria, taking his tally to 17 goals in six football tournaments.

The Argentinian captain reached the top of the charts on Monday when he swept home after 38 minutes in his team’s second group game, to deafening roars at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas in the United States.

Messi had equalled Miroslav Klose’s all-time mark of 16 World Cup goals by hitting a hat-trick in a 3-0 win over Algeria to open the South American nation’s title defence in North America last week.

The 38-year-old had missed a penalty earlier in the game.

Messi is playing at his sixth World Cup, his first coming in 2006, and he now has 121 goals in 201 games for his country.

- AFP