Not only is Lionel Messi Argentina’s all-time top scorer, but he’s scored more World Cup goals for his country than any other player – including the legendary Diego Maradona.
With his hat-trick against Algeria, Messi has also equalled Miroslav Klose’s all-time scoring record in the history of the World Cup.
He scored his first goal in the tournament as a teenager way back in 2006, and cemented his glittering World Cup legacy by notching a brace in Argentina’s astonishing penalty shootout victory over France in the final of Qatar 2022.
Here’s our ranking of every single one of Messi’s 16 World Cup goals.
Messi’s first World Cup penalty was struck incredibly casually, just nine minutes into Qatar 2022. He gave Mohammed Al Owais the eyes, didn’t blink first, and slotted it past him.
You’d never have guessed what was to happen next.
A different technique to the spot-kick he scored against Saudi Arabia, Messi looked entirely unruffled by the fact he’d missed his last spot-kick against Poland.
Emphatically struck, he doubled Argentina’s lead in the quarter-final against the Netherlands, later scoring a second spot-kick in the shootout later that evening.
It was back in 2012 that Messi missed a penalty in the Champions League semi-final against Chelsea, which proved costly as Barcelona succumbed to defeat to the 10-man Blues.
You’d never have guessed that kind of history hung heavy on his shoulders when he stepped up in the 2022 World Cup semi against Croatia, who had made a habit of being penalty specialists in recent tournaments. Dominik Livakovic had been one of the players of the tournament, but there was no saving Messi’s decisively-struck effort, right into the top corner.
In a pressure situation, Messi opened the scoring with a near-perfect effort.
“Officially unstoppable,” says Ally McCoist. Is right.
Messi’s fourth penalty – and third in as many games of the knockout stages – of Qatar 2022 was on the grandest stage of all.
Never in doubt.
A would-be winner, in extra time of the World Cup final.
Right place, right time. That’s been the case so many times in Messi’s career that we’re beginning to think he probably understands the game pretty well.
A goalkeeping error from Luca Zidane (yes, Zinedine’s son) was pounced upon by a predatory Messi for his second of the game.
Have some of that.
Messi’s first World Cup goal, scored when he was just 18, made him the youngest Argentinian to score in the competition.
Cheered onto the field by a beaming Diego Maradona, sitting in the stands, Messi showed he was something special, scoring and setting one up for good measure.
Messi had already had one ruled out before unleashing this howitzer within 17 minutes of his first game at the 2026 finals.
Zidane got two hands on it, but was beaten the pace of the shot. Starting as he meant to go on…
Vintage Barcelona Messi, this. The run and finish.
Increíble.
Australia defended heroically against Argentina in the Round of 16 clash, but this was a perfect example of how you can be punished by Messi if you let your guard down for a split-second.
He drifted into the area and brilliantly took advantage of a heavy touch by Nicolas Otamendi, weighting his first touch perfectly before slotting into the bottom corner.
Messi completed his hat-trick against Algeria in stunning fashion, sweeping home a left-footed finish that defined the phrase ‘rolling back the years’.
Argentina were desperate for a moment of inspiration, staring down the barrel of a group-stage exit, following their shock defeat to Saudi Arabia and lacklustre first-half display against Mexico.
Their star man delivered to break the deadlock, and he delivered.
Pablo Aimar’s emotional reaction on the bench said it all, while the aerial replay showed what an inspired strike it was. How do you even stop that?
Messi’s only World Cup free-kick (to date) was an absolute peach.
“The guy is so good…and I’m s–t,” Nigeria keeper Vincent Enyeama joked with the referee afterwards, pleading with him not to give the Argentinian No.10 any more free-kicks.
On first viewing, this goal isn’t all that special. But the slo-mo replay shows how blessed we are to have witnessed a genius artist in their prime.
Maybe not quite as good as Dennis Bergkamp’s World Cup wondergoal, but in all honesty not that far off.
Last minute of regulation time. Iran have defended for their lives, stoically, with a brilliant backs-to-the-wall display.
When Messi picked up the ball, every single opposition player was between him and the ball. No matter.
Take it away, Jonathan Pearce.
“Messi. Give it to him and pray…”