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With over 750 senior goals for club and country, Lionel Messi's credentials as one of the greatest goal scorers in football history are beyond any doubt. Especially after scoring his penalty kick against Netherlands in the Semi final of 2022 World Cup.
- 10 - Gabriel Batistuta
- 10* - Lionel Messi
- 8 - Diego Maradona
- 8 - Guillermo Stabile
- 6 - Mario Kempes
Becoming the highest goalscorer for Argentina in a World Cup alongside Gabriel Batistuta , who also has 10 goals.
👶 Lionel Messi's first World Cup goal came against Serbia and Montenegro in 2006 when he was aged just 18...
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) December 9, 2022
👴 And he's still banging them in aged 35 in 2022! He's now scored ten goals at World Cups#FIFAWorldCup #NEDARG pic.twitter.com/jWwCMOjeZj
Lionel Messi has scored nine goals in 23 matches at the FIFA World Cup, spanning five editions (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022). Crossing the late great Diego Maradona, who scored eight goals in 21 matches at the football World Cup.
The stats put Leo Messi's scoring rate at football World Cups at just 0.36 goals per game. Though an impressive number, it is lower than the 0.55 goals per game he boasts in his international outings with Argentina.
No player has created more chances in World Cup history than Lionel Messi (since Opta's records began in 1966).
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) December 9, 2022
He doesn't just score goals 🐐 pic.twitter.com/Ze85u2Qxcb
At the World Cups, Messi features is a little lower down the list. Germany's Miroslav Klose (16 goals from 24 matches) is the highest scorer at the quadrennial meet.
Gabriel Batistuta (10 goals from 12 matches) has been Argentina's most prolific scorer at FIFA World Cups. Diego Maradona (21 matches) and Uruguay 1930 Golden Boot winner Guillermo Stabile (four matches) have scored eight goals each.
10—Gabriel Batistuta
— B/R Football (@brfootball) December 3, 2022
9—Lionel Messi
8—Diego Maradona
Messi becomes Argentina's second-highest scorer at the World Cup ⚽ pic.twitter.com/3ZPzVg6Wa2
Lionel Messi does have a considerably better goal-scoring record in FIFA World Cup qualifiers though, having netted 28 times in 60 appearances.
Lionel Messi scored his first goal in the football World Cup at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany against Serbia and Montenegro in Argentina's second Group C clash at the FIFA World Cup Stadium in Hamburg.
Lionel Messi is entering the twilight of his career and will be eyeing to improve his World Cup goal-scoring record considerably at the 2022 World Cupin Qatar.