Lionel Messi scored both of Argentina's goals against Austria, giving him a record 18 for his World Cup career.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the stage for a remarkable statistical race. After the tournament’s latest matchdays, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé continue finding the net, cementing a historic rivalry atop the competition’s all-time top scorers chart.

Here's a breakdown of how Lionel Messi has found success late in his career.

If Argentina and Spain combine for at least two goals in the final, this World Cup will also have the highest average number of goals per game since the 1956 event saw 3.6 per con

Kylian Mbappe broke Lionel Messi’s all-time World Cup scoring record, but France were unable to claim bronze after losing a wild third-place play-off against England. England raced into a remarkable 4-0 half-time lead before Mbappe scored his 21st and 22nd World Cup goals to move ahead of Messi.