Lionel Messi broke Miroslav Klose’s all-time World Cup scoring record on June 22, reaching 18 goals. Hours later, Kylian Mbappé drew level with Klose on 16. The race is on.

At a Glance: June 22 Scoring Record Summary

Player	Goals on June 22	Total WC goals	World Cups
Lionel Messi	2 (vs Austria, 38’ & 95’)	18 — all-time record	6th (2006–2026)
Kylian Mbappé	2 (vs Iraq, 14’ & 54’)	16 — joint 2nd with Klose	3rd (2018–2026)
Miroslav Klose	–	16 — former record (2014)	4 (2002–2014)
Ronaldo (Brazil)	–	15	3 (1998–2006)

June 22, 2026, may be remembered as the day the World Cup’s scoring record changed hands twice in a few hours.

In Arlington, Lionel Messi scored twice against Austria to reach 18 World Cup goals, surpassing Miroslav Klose. In Philadelphia that evening, Kylian Mbappé struck twice against Iraq, drawing level with Klose and leaving himself two behind Messi.

How Messi Got There

Messi entered the match level with Klose on 16 after a hat-trick against Algeria in Argentina’s Group J opener. Against Austria he missed a VAR-awarded penalty in the eighth minute.

The record came in the 38th minute: Facundo Medina played the ball in, Thiago Almada let it run through his legs, and Messi’s left-footed finish took him to 17. He added an 18th in the 95th minute to seal a 2-0 win.

The brace also made Messi the most successful player in World Cup history by wins, surpassing Klose’s 17 victories. He has scored in six consecutive World Cup matches, equalling the record held by Just Fontaine (1958) and Jairzinho (1970).

Klose’s Record Was Already Under Threat

Miroslav Klose predicted in January 2026 that his record would fall at this tournament: “Either Lionel Messi will achieve it at this World Cup, or at the latest Kylian Mbappé will do it at the next one.”

After the record fell, Klose was generous: “For me, Lionel Messi is the best of all time. Congratulations, champ!” Messi has now played 28 World Cup matches since debuting at Germany 2006, across six editions.

Then Came Mbappé

France’s match against Iraq in Philadelphia was delayed over two hours by a thunderstorm that struck at halftime, delaying the start of the second half. None of that derailed Mbappé, who was marking his 100th international cap.

He opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a left-footed strike after combining with Michael Olise. His second came in the 54th minute, capitalising on a defensive error as Dembélé squared across an empty net.

Mbappé also became the fastest player to reach 15 World Cup goals, doing so in 16 matches. Brazil’s Ronaldo had needed 18 to reach the same milestone.

What the Scoring Table Looks Like Now

After June 22, the all-time charts read: Messi 18, Mbappé and Klose joint second on 16, Brazil’s Ronaldo fourth with 15, Gerd Müller fifth with 14.

Mbappé, at 27, is playing in his third World Cup. Messi turns 39 on June 24 and is almost certainly at his last.

At KTO’s sportsbook, the odds currently list France as the top title favourite and Argentina fourth, though these figures update in real time as the tournament progresses.

A Record Chase for the Ages

No World Cup had ever seen two players attacking the all-time scoring record in the same round of group-stage matches. Fontaine’s 13 goals in a single tournament (1958) had long been the more debated individual landmark.

Argentina face Jordan on June 28. France, through to the last 32, face a knockout opponent yet to be confirmed.

Mbappé said after the Iraq win: “I knew Lionel Messi would keep scoring goals at this World Cup.” At 38, with 18 World Cup goals and still playing, Messi has made the record harder to reach again almost the moment he broke it.