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Messi Breaks World Cup Goals Record; Argentina, France, and Other Nations Compete in 2026 Tournament

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The 2026 FIFA World Cup: A Tournament of Records and Milestones

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, marked the first edition to feature 48 teams. The tournament delivered several historic milestones, headlined by Lionel Messi's record-breaking performance.

Messi’s Record-Breaking Performance

Lionel Messi became the all-time leading scorer in men's World Cup history, scoring his 17th and 18th career goals in a 2-0 victory over Austria on June 22, 2026, in Arlington, Texas.

This surpassed the previous men's record of 16 goals held by Germany's Miroslav Klose. Messi also set a new record for most World Cup matches played (28).

In the same match, Messi missed a penalty kick in the 9th minute. He scored his first goal in the 38th minute, assisted by Thiago Almada, and his second goal in stoppage time. The match was played before 70,649 spectators.

Earlier in the tournament, in Argentina's Group J opener against Algeria, Messi scored three goals in a 3-0 victory on June 16 in Kansas City, Missouri. That hat trick was Messi's first in a World Cup and made him the oldest player (aged 38) to achieve this feat in the tournament's history. The goals tied him with Miroslav Klose (16 goals) at that time.

Messi’s World Cup goal tally of 18 is the highest in the men's tournament. The previous women's record of 17 goals, held by Brazil's Marta, was surpassed by Messi’s 18th goal. Messi has scored in six consecutive World Cup matches, tying a record held by Just Fontaine and Jairzinho.

Argentina’s Tournament Path

Argentina entered the tournament as the defending champions, having won the 2022 World Cup. After wins against Algeria and Austria, the team secured a spot in the knockout round. Argentina finished as runners-up after losing the final to Spain.

The final was played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Spain won 1-0. Argentina recorded no shots on goal in regular time, with its first shot on goal coming in the 116th minute. Argentina committed 25 fouls, received seven yellow cards, and had Enzo Fernández sent off (second yellow card) in extra time. After the match, Leandro Paredes received a red card for his involvement in an altercation.

In the final, Messi recorded 55 touches, with none in Spain's penalty area. He finished the tournament with 8 goals and 4 assists.

Other Notable Performances

  • Kylian Mbappé (France): Scored two goals in a 3-1 win over Senegal and two goals against Iraq. His World Cup career tally reached 16 goals.
  • Erling Haaland (Norway): Scored two goals in a 4-1 victory over Iraq and two goals against Senegal.
  • Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal): Scored two goals in a 5-0 win over Uzbekistan, becoming the first male player to score in six World Cup tournaments.
  • Ousmane Dembélé (France): Scored a hat trick in France's 4-1 victory over Norway.
  • Lionel Messi: Led the Golden Boot race with five goals following the group stage.

Other Tournament Developments

  • United States President Participation: FIFA President Gianni Infantino stated that US President Donald Trump will participate in the trophy presentation at the World Cup final.
  • France Manager: Didier Deschamps missed France's final group stage match following the death of his mother. Assistant coach Guy Stephan led the team.
  • Hydration Breaks: FIFA is considering retaining hydration breaks for future tournaments.
  • Commentator Banned: Paraguayan commentator Jorge Chipi Vera had his World Cup credentials revoked after making remarks against FIFA and match officials.
  • Travel Restrictions: The US maintains travel restrictions on Iran's squad, limiting their movements to and from their training base in Tijuana, Mexico. Iran has indicated they will file a complaint with FIFA.
  • Germany Advanced: Germany reached the knockout stage after a 2-1 win over Ivory Coast.
  • Curacao’s First Point: Curacao earned their first World Cup point with a 0-0 draw against Ecuador.

Group Stage Results

Group J

  • Argentina 3, Algeria 0
  • Argentina 2, Austria 0

Group I

  • France 3, Senegal 1
  • Norway 4, Iraq 1
  • France 4, Norway 1

Group F

  • Sweden 5, Tunisia 1
  • Netherlands 0, Japan 0

Group E

  • Germany 2, Ivory Coast 1

Qualification Updates

The final six qualification spots for the tournament were decided through play-off matches. Several nations secured their berths in the tournament.

  • Türkiye qualified for the first time since 2002, defeating Kosovo 1-0. They entered Group D with the United States, Paraguay, and Australia.
  • Sweden defeated Poland 3-2 to qualify, marking their first World Cup appearance since 2018. They entered Group F with the Netherlands, Japan, and Tunisia.
  • Czechia qualified for the first time since 2006, defeating Denmark in a penalty shootout. They entered Group A with Mexico, South Africa, and South Korea.
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina qualified for the second time (first since 2014), defeating Italy 4-1 in a penalty shootout. Italy failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup. Bosnia and Herzegovina entered Group B with Canada, Switzerland, and Qatar.
  • Iraq won a playoff against Bolivia to qualify for the first time since 1986. They entered Group I with France, Norway, and Senegal.
  • DR Congo won a playoff against Jamaica to qualify. They entered Group K with Colombia, Portugal, and Uzbekistan.