At Dallas Stadium (USA), the Argentina captain experienced a match full of emotions. After missing a penalty in the 10th minute, Messi was still the focus in the attacks of the reigning world champions.
In the 38th minute, from Facundo Medina's cross, Messi rushed in and finished accurately in one touch, opening the score for Argentina. This goal is of special significance as it helps the 39-year-old superstar increase the total number of goals scored at the World Cups to 17, surpassing the record of 16 goals of German legend Miroslav Klose.
This is considered one of the most prestigious personal achievements in the history of the tournament. Klose once set a record in 2014 and held the number one position for 12 years before being knocked down by Messi.
Not stopping there, the Argentine captain continued to score another goal in the second half to seal a 2-0 victory for his team. This double helped Messi raise the record to 18 goals after 28 matches at the World Cup.
Messi's journey to conquer the historical milestone spans 6 World Cups. Before him, top strikers who once held scoring records at the biggest football festival on the planet included Gerd Müller (14 goals), Ronaldo Nazário (15 goals) and Miroslav Klose (16 goals).
In addition to exclusively occupying the number one position in the scoring list, Messi has also become one of the few players to score in 6 consecutive World Cup matches. This achievement once again affirms the endurance and influence of the Argentine star at the age of 39.
