Lionel Messi did not just break the World Cup goals record against Austria, he pushed himself to the top of several all-time lists in one night.
The Argentina captain scored twice in the Group J clash, taking his career tally at FIFA World Cup finals to 18 goals and moving ahead of Miroslav Klose.
Guinness World Records later highlighted the scale of the night by pointing out that Messi had broken four separate World Cup records in one match.
Lionel Messi broke four World Cup records against Austria
Messi’s two-goal performance made him the all-time leading scorer in FIFA World Cup finals history with 18 goals.
That was the headline achievement, but it was not the only record Guinness World Records credited him with after Argentina’s victory.
According to Guinness World Records, Messi also became the player with the most FIFA World Cup matches played, reaching 28 appearances in the competition.
He also moved to 18 World Cup wins, giving him the record for most matches won by any player at the tournament.
The fourth record came through his extraordinary longevity. Guinness World Records listed Messi at 2,489 minutes played in FIFA World Cup matches, another all-time mark.
- Most FIFA World Cup finals goals by a football player: 18
- Most FIFA World Cup matches played by an individual: 28
- Most matches won by a player at the FIFA World Cup: 18
- Most minutes played in the FIFA World Cup: 2,489
Why Messi’s Austria performance changed the World Cup record book
Messi had already moved himself into position for history earlier in the tournament by scoring a hat-trick against Algeria in Argentina’s opening match.
His third goal in that game took him level with Klose on 16 World Cup goals, setting up the Austria match as the night he could move clear.
He did exactly that by scoring twice, first passing Klose and then stretching his lead at the top of the all-time scoring chart.
Kylian Mbappe has also climbed the standings during the tournament after scoring his second brace of the competition against Iraq, moving level with Klose on 16 goals.
That leaves Messi on top with 18, two clear of both Mbappe and Klose, while Ronaldo Nazario sits behind them on 15.
Guinness World Records described the moment simply by saying: “We are witnessing history.” Given the number of records Messi broke in one match, it was difficult to argue with that assessment.
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