Messi, Most Goals in World Cup History: Two Next MVPs, Regrets Erroneous Penalty
Lionel Messi overtook Miroslav Klose as the World Cup's top goalscorer after a treble and then a double against Austria. He was voted MVP twice, but he admitted he wished he had scored the penalty.
Lionel Messi showcased his unparalleled talent at the FIFA World Cup 2026 where he scored a hat-trick in the tournament opener and followed it up with two goals against Austria. With this achievement, he officially surpassed Miroslav Klose as the highest goal scorer in World Cup history. This victory was a big boost for Argentina, who immediately secured a place in the Round of 16 after winning two straight matches.
Messi emphasized the importance of the match in an interview after being awarded the best player of the night: "I'm very happy, especially for the win. It's a very important victory, a lot of hard work and sweat," said the former Barcelona star who now plays for Inter Miami. "It gives us confidence for the next matches. We know that at this level of competition, all matches are equal and dictated by intensity. We are happy to get the six points and the qualification."
Messi has received the award as the Best Player of the Game (MVP) twice—once against Algeria and now in Austria. His new world record also did not escape the conversation, he has already surpassed the previous record holder Miroslav Klose when it comes to the number of goals.
He also expressed some regrets after missing a penalty: "It would have been nice if I had shot the penalty right away, maybe the course of the game would have been different. But I'm happy with the performance, the result, and the effort shown by the whole team," Messi concluded.
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