Messi becomes World Cup’s all-time leading scorer with 17 | OneFootball

Lionel Messi became the outright top scorer in World Cup history with 17 goals, striking before half-time against Austria after missing an early penalty. The feat came days after his hat-trick against Algeria at a tournament staged in the United States, Mexico and Canada, moving him past Miroslav Klose.

According to El Periódico Mediterráneo, the landmark arrived 40 years on from Diego Maradona’s ‘Gol del Siglo’ and ‘La Mano de Dios’ against England at the Azteca, with a packed AT&T Stadium in Dallas watching. The Rosario-born forward again underlined his standing.

The contest began poorly for the number 10. Before 10 minutes he had the chance to score in his sixth World Cup, but his spot-kick missed the target as Schlager read his intentions. The penalty for a clear foul on Lautaro Martínez was awarded only after VAR intervened when referee Amin Mohamed initially failed to point to the spot.

David Alaba then thwarted him around the half-hour. Soon after, a cut-back from Facundo Medina on the left ran through a Thiago Almada dummy and Messi drilled a crisp left-footed finish.

The miss meant he has failed from the spot at three consecutive World Cups, having also erred against Iceland in 2018 and Poland in 2022. It did not rattle him, and he responded decisively.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo