On the eve of his 39th birthday, Lionel Messi stood in Texas and did what great careers sometimes allow: he rendered the record books obsolete. Two goals against Austria lifted him past Miroslav Klose and Marta to become the highest scorer in World Cup history across both men's and women's competitions, a milestone that speaks not only to longevity but to the rare persistence of excellence. Elsewhere, Kylian Mbappé marked his 100th cap for France with a brace of his own, positioning himself as the only man now within reach of Messi's new summit.
Messi breaks World Cup scoring record with 18 goals as Mbappé ties Klose
In one week, we've gone from villains to heroes
Mark
What strikes you most about Messi reaching 18 goals at 39?
Mimi
That it doesn't feel like a farewell performance. He's not chasing the record defensively, protecting it. He's still hunting, still dangerous. The penalty miss and immediate response—that's the thing. Most players at that age would be managing minutes, playing a role. He's still the focal point.
Mark
And Mbappé at 16 goals in 16 games—is that trajectory sustainable?
Mimi
It's remarkable, but it's also a different kind of record. Messi's 18 came across six tournaments over 20 years. Mbappé is doing it in a compressed window, in his prime. The question isn't whether he can catch Messi—it's whether the tournament lasts long enough and whether France keeps advancing.
Mark
Why does the Australia-Paraguay match feel so consequential?
Mimi
Because a draw is enough. That changes everything psychologically. Australia doesn't have to win; they can play for a result. Paraguay, though, they're the ones with momentum. They went from being written off after losing 4-1 to beating Turkey. That's the kind of swing that makes tournaments unpredictable.
Mark
The new rule about covering mouths—does that actually matter?
Mimi
It matters because it removes the gray area. Before, you could argue about intent, about what was said. Now it's just a red card. For a team like Australia, that's clarity. For Paraguay, it's a warning they've already learned the hard way.
Mark
What does Messi's record say about the tournament itself?
Mimi
That it's still his stage, even at the end. But it also says the tournament is deep—Mbappé, Haaland, Sarr all scoring heavily. The record might not stand as long as Marta's did.
Der Puls
- Messi missed a penalty early but refused to let the moment define him, returning to score twice and rewrite a record that had stood across two tournaments and two genders.
- At 39 and in his sixth World Cup, Messi is not fading into ceremony — he is still bending matches to his will, still dangerous, still hungry for another championship.
- Mbappé's pursuit adds a second narrative thread to the tournament: at 27 with 16 goals in 16 games, he is the only player mathematically capable of catching Messi before the final whistle.
- Australia's tournament fate hangs on Friday's clash with Paraguay — a draw secures knockout qualification, but a loss leaves the Socceroos dependent on goal difference and the kindness of other results.
- Paraguay arrive with their own momentum after stunning Turkey 1-0, a swift reversal that their coach described as moving from villains to heroes in a single week.
On the eve of his 39th birthday, Lionel Messi stood in Texas and did what great careers sometimes allow: he rendered the record books obsolete. Two goals against Austria lifted him past Miroslav Klose and Marta to become the highest scorer in World Cup history across both men's and women's competitions, a milestone that speaks not only to longevity but to the rare persistence of excellence. Elsewhere, Kylian Mbappé marked his 100th cap for France with a brace of his own, positioning himself as the only man now within reach of Messi's new summit.
Lionel Messi arrived in Texas the day before his 39th birthday and left having rewritten football history. Two goals against Austria carried him to 18 World Cup goals in total — past Miroslav Klose's 16 in the men's game and Marta's 17 in the women's, making him the highest scorer across both competitions. He had missed a penalty early in the match, but the miss seemed almost beside the point. He refocused, found space, and finished with the precision that has defined two decades of tournament football. Both Klose and Marta offered their congratulations. For Messi, now in his sixth World Cup, the record arrived not as a farewell gesture but as part of a larger momentum — a player still capable of shaping a tournament, still dangerous, still chasing another title.
While Messi was making history, Kylian Mbappé was writing his own chapter. Appearing in his 100th game for France, the 27-year-old scored twice against Iraq in Philadelphia — though severe thunderstorms forced a two-and-a-half-hour suspension before he could complete the feat. When play resumed, Mbappé added his second, Ousmane Dembele sealed a 3-0 win, and the French forward found himself second on the all-time World Cup scoring list, tied with Klose at 16. The question now shadowing the tournament is whether he can catch Messi before it ends.
For Australia, the stakes are more immediate. The Socceroos face Paraguay on Friday in a Group D match where a draw would be enough to reach the knockout stages. Assistant coach Mile Jedinak has backed the team's approach and head coach Tony Popovic despite an opening loss to the United States, acknowledging the particular intensity of facing a South American side. Paraguay arrive with momentum after beating Turkey 1-0, a result their coach described as transforming his team from villains to heroes in a single week. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he would be watching at noon, hoping the country would pause and cheer.
The broader tournament continues to reveal its depth. Norway edged Senegal 3-2 in New Jersey, with Erling Haaland and Ismaila Sarr each scoring twice in a match that underscored the competition's attacking richness. The World Cup is still in its early stages, but the narrative threads are already clear — Messi's record, Mbappé's pursuit, and the constant possibility of surprise.
Lionel Messi did what seemed inevitable the moment he stepped onto the pitch in Texas: he rewrote the World Cup record books. Two goals against Austria on a day before his 39th birthday carried him past every scorer who had come before him—past Miroslav Klose's 16 goals in the men's tournament, past Marta's 17 in the women's game. When his 18th goal crossed the line, Messi became the highest-scoring player in World Cup history, a distinction that spans both competitions and nearly two decades of his own tournament appearances.
The Argentina captain had missed a penalty early in the match, but the miss seemed almost beside the point. He returned to the task with focus, finding space and finishing with the precision that has defined his career. Both Klose and Marta, the players whose records he surpassed, later offered their congratulations. For Messi, now playing in his sixth World Cup since 2006, the milestone arrived not as a desperate final act but as part of a larger momentum building toward another championship. Those watching saw a player still capable of bending the tournament to his will, still hungry, still dangerous.
While Messi was making history in the group stage, Kylian Mbappé was writing his own chapter. The French forward, appearing in his 100th game for his country, scored twice against Iraq in Philadelphia—though not before severe thunderstorms forced a two-and-a-half-hour suspension of play. When conditions cleared and the match resumed, Mbappé rose to add a second goal, with Ousmane Dembele completing a 3-0 victory. At 27 years old and with 16 goals in 16 World Cup matches, Mbappé now stands second on the all-time list, tied with Klose. The question hanging over the tournament is whether he can catch Messi before the final whistle sounds.
Back in Australia, the focus shifted to a match that could determine the nation's tournament fate. The Socceroos face Paraguay on Friday in a Group D clash where a draw would be enough to secure a place in the knockout stages. Assistant coach Mile Jedinak has backed both the team's tactical approach and head coach Tony Popovic, despite the opening loss to the United States. Jedinak acknowledged the intensity that comes with facing a South American opponent—the passion, the willingness to fight for every ball. If Australia cannot get a result, they face an anxious wait to see whether their goal difference and other results allow them to advance as one of the tournament's best third-place finishers. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he would be watching Friday at noon, hoping the country would pause to cheer.
Paraguay arrives in that match with momentum of their own. After losing 4-1 to the United States in their opener, they stunned Turkey 1-0 over the weekend. Coach Gustavo Alfaro reflected on the swift reversal: in one week, his team had moved from being cast as villains to heroes, a reminder of how quickly fortunes shift in football. The match will also be played under a new FIFA rule banning players from covering their mouths during confrontations—a rule that drew its first red card when Paraguay's Miguel Almirón was sent off against Turkey. Socceroos midfielder Jackson Irvine welcomed the change, seeing it as a way to eliminate ambiguity in moments of tension.
Elsewhere, Norway and Senegal produced a tightly contested match in New Jersey that ended 3-2 in Norway's favor. Erling Haaland and Ismaila Sarr both scored twice, a display of attacking prowess that underscored the tournament's competitive depth. The World Cup is still in its early stages, with teams building toward their peak form. Messi's record-breaking performance and Mbappé's pursuit of history are the narrative threads that will likely run through the remaining weeks, but the tournament has shown it contains multitudes—unexpected victories, dramatic turnarounds, and the constant possibility of surprise.
Bemerkenswerte Zitate
We all know the passion that comes when you're playing against a South American team. They'll fight tooth and nail for every single opportunity.— Mile Jedinak, Socceroos assistant coach, on facing Paraguay
The whole country will be cheering them on Friday at 12 O'clock and I hope that the country stops for a bit during that time.— Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, on Australia's match against Paraguay
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