By Juan Samuel Santana Chávez

Lionel Messi continues to expand his legacy in the World Cup. With the goal he scored against Cape Verde in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup, the Argentina captain reached 20 career tournament goals, becoming the all-time leading scorer. The Rosario native definitively surpassed the records of Germany's Miroslav Klose (16), Brazil's Ronaldo Nazário (15), Gerd Müller (14), and Just Fontaine (13), solidifying himself as the championship's historical benchmark.

Within the Argentine national team, Messi also overwhelmingly dominates the World Cup scorers list. His 20 goals far surpass the 10 scored by Gabriel Batistuta, who for years was the top Albiceleste scorer in World Cups. Further back are Diego Maradona and Guillermo Stábile with eight goals each, highlighting the magnitude of the record achieved by the current world champion.

In addition to the absolute goal record, Messi has set new marks in the World Cup tournament. With his goal against Cape Verde, he also became the first footballer to score in eight consecutive World Cup matches and the only player with two World Cup editions of seven or more goals. At 39 years old, the Argentine maintains a decisive level and continues to write one of the most important pages in the history of international football.