DALLAS: In a night destined for the history books, Lionel Messi solidified his status as the undisputed greatest of all time by becoming the all-time leading goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history. Leading Argentina’s title defense in North America, the 38-year-old maestro scored twice in a clinical 2-0 group-stage victory against Austria at the Dallas Stadium.
The match began with rare heartbreak for the talismanic forward, as he uncharacteristically missed a 12th-minute penalty. However, Messi responded in true champion fashion. In the 38th minute, he expertly stroked a first-time shot into the bottom corner to net his 17th World Cup goal, officially breaking his tie with Germany’s Miroslav Klose (16 goals). Just before the final whistle in stoppage time, Messi capitalized on a rebound to score his 18th tournament goal.
With this historic brace, Messi did not just capture the men’s record; he also surpassed Brazilian women’s legend Marta (17 goals) to stand completely alone at the pinnacle of global football.
