Editor’s note: This story was originally published July 20, 2026.<\/i><\/p>\n
Lionel Messi continues to remind the football world that he’s the greatest player of all time, with one GOAT move after another. He’s the all-time leading FIFA World Cup goalscorer \u2014 and will only extend his mark with every goal. And that he is doing it 20 years after first setting foot at the World Cup is even more remarkable.<\/p>\n
There is no doubt that the Argentinian captain, who is playing in a record sixth World Cup alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, will continue to keep opponents up at night. Messi now stands alone in FIFA World Cup history with 21 tournament goals and 123 overall as Argentina’s top scorer.<\/p>\n
But it can\u2019t just end there, so allow me to rank all 21 goals across all World Cups that he has scored. Because every beautiful gem deserves its own appraisal:<\/p>\n
Messi stepped up for the penalty after a foul on Leandro Paredes. But the shock of the tournament arrived when Herve Renard\u2019s Saudi Arabia came out victorious. It would only be the spark that would eventually kickstart a historic World Cup-winning campaign.<\/p>\n
For me, the 2022 World Cup final was the greatest I have ever witnessed, and it started with another spot-kick as Messi made it 1-0. Little did we know that this would only be the first chapter of an incredible footballing novel.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Messi already had an assist for the opening goal, and he made it 2-0 before the Netherlands came back to make it very entertaining with another penalty.\u00a0La Pulga placed it beautifully past Andries Noppert as the Argentina faithful celebrated from behind the goal.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Another clutch penalty after Juli\u00e1n \u00c1lvarez was taken down. Messi\u2019s spot-kick was smashed into the top right corner as Dominik Livakovi\u0107 couldn\u2019t do anything about it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A dramatic goal in stoppage time when Argentina took a 3-2 lead as Hugo Lloris failed to push away a shot from Lautaro Martinez, so Messi pounced. As we all remember, the night would conclude with a penalty shootout and a glorious third World Cup title, 36 years after Diego Maradona lifted the trophy in M\u00e9xico.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A prototypical Messi instinct is to react before anyone else. And that\u2019s what happened here after Alexis Mac Allister\u2019s effort was pushed away by Zidane, but not far enough. Messi pounced and earned his second goal of the night.<\/p>\n
Argentina, already through and having won the group, started without Messi, who did not need to play a whole 90 minutes. As if he ever needs a full match to create some magic. Leo entered the action in the 60th minute, and 20 minutes later, he scored his second free kick at a World Cup and his 19th career goal at the tournament.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was a great finish, though I think the keeper and his wall could have done better. From another angle, you can also see Argentina\u2019s stopper Emiliano “Dibu” Mart\u00ednez conducting the Argentinian wall and telling them where to stand in order for Messi to find his path towards goal. It\u2019s brilliant.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As a result, Messi also became the first men\u2019s player to score in seven straight World Cup matches.\u00a0<\/p>\n
There is probably more of a poetic, symbolic meaning to this goal as it officially marked his first ever hat trick at the World Cup. But it was also a delightful finish that sealed the three points and placed Messi in the history books.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Receiving a ball from Nico Gonzalez inside the box, the soon-to-be 39-year-old star made a quick assessment and shot at Zidane with an effort that went bottom-left. Once again, the goal was perfectly placed with tremendous accuracy and the stadium knew the outcome. We all did.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Messi, once again, gave us an evening to never forget.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It took a dramatic save from Emiliano Mart\u00ednez at the end of this one for Argentina to secure the victory, but it all started with Messi\u2019s opener during what was his 1,000th career match. The goal started from a free-kick cross by Leo that ended up with him entering the box and, with a slight touch from Nicolas Otamendi, the Argentinian icon placed a low shot past Matt Ryan.<\/p>\n
Messi, as he is turning, receives the ball from his Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul, and with his quintessential, almost omnipotent left foot, takes an effort just outside the box, smashing a powerful shot past Algeria\u2019s Luka Zidane. Zinedine\u2019s son probably saw it coming, but like many other mortals, it just can\u2019t be stopped. It was the door that opened the floodgates.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Once again, as is always the case, it started and ended with Messi as he provided the ball out to the left to Julian Alvarez. The man from Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid saw his shot saved, Messi claimed it, then shot it. THAT one gets blocked, but because Leo never quits, the Argentinian captain headed toward the center of the box and smashed it in.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Pure determination.<\/p>\n
Of course, this is the goal that’s sealed in time, making him the all-time scorer in men’s World Cup history. After missing a penalty in the 14th minute, Messi made amends by scoring a delicious finish, thanks also to a wonderful dummy by Thiago Almada.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Messi took it the first time, and it was clear he was never going to miss. On the 40th anniversary of Diego Maradona\u2019s “Hand of God” against England in the 1986 World Cup quarterfinal, Messi created another eternal memory for Argentina.<\/p>\n
Messi\u2019s first ever goal at the World Cup. Days before his 19th birthday, Messi came on from the bench with just over 15 minutes left. Carlos Tevez found the then-Barcelona teenager, who made a run inside the box and slotted it past the goalkeeper.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It may not be his greatest goal from an aesthetic perspective, but it\u2019s one of the most meaningful.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Anxiety was rising with Argentina fans as La Albiceleste was currently at 0-0 against Mexico deep in the second half. But then came Leo as Di Mar\u00eda gave him the ball just outside the box. The Argentina captain sent a powerful, low effort past Memo Ochoa for the opener and the South Americans erupted.<\/p>\n
Lisandro Mart\u00ednez deserves a lot of credit for this goal as it was his deep, beautiful assist that fed Messi inside Cabo Verde\u2019s box. The Argentinian captain brought it down beautifully with his left foot and in the same breath, placed it past Vozinha \u2013 perhaps the only other player at the tournament who has captured so much attention at this tournament.<\/p>\n
This goal made it eight consecutive World Cup matches, extending his own record for the longest streak ever.<\/p>\n
The equalizing goal that shook Atlanta\u2019s stadium and sent it into ecstasy. Leo himself pings the ball in the box but it scrambles away until Gonzalo Montiel finds it and just about returns it to Messi, who proceeds to smash it past Egypt\u2019s stopper Mostafa Shobeir. It hits the crossbar and eventually ricochets into the net. A magnificent finish at such a crucial moment.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Messi ended the group stage in perfection, scoring a brace against Nigeria. The first came in the second minute of action as Angel Di Mar\u00eda hit the post and, like a bull charging at will, Leo entered the box and smashed it in. An absolute rocket.<\/p>\n
Once again, as is always the case, it started and ended with Messi as he provided the ball out to the left to Julian Alvarez. The man from Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid saw his shot saved, Messi claimed it, then shot it. THAT one gets blocked, but because Leo never quits, the Argentinian captain headed toward the center of the box and smashed it in.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Pure determination. And also, pay attention to his touch just as he gets the ball inside the box. It is the definition of genius and elegance. But you have to slow down the highlight in order to truly appreciate it.<\/p>\n
The second was Messi\u2019s first and only free-kick goal at the World Cup. Nigeria came back with a goal but, in true fashion,\u00a0<\/i>La Pulga\u00a0reclaimed his team the lead with a beautiful set piece. Nigeria goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama could only watch and follow it in as he knew \u2014 as we all did \u2014 he was already beaten.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Iran held on as much as it could. But when you face Messi, that\u2019s just never enough. In the 90th minute, Leo picked up the ball on the edge of the box and completely smashed a beautiful left-footed attempt heading towards the top left of goal. A piece of magic and one of my favorite goals.<\/p>\n
Messi didn\u2019t score in the 2010 World Cup so he had to make amends four years later in Brazil. At 27, he was ready to make a statement and this is one of my favorite goals because you are now seeing prime Leo\u2014running at full speed\u2014unable to be stopped.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Messi drives towards goal, gives it to Gonzalo Higuain, gets it right back and, with a lethal left-foot finish that eventually becomes a trademark on the bottom left, scores. The best part is that he forced two Bosnian defenders to crash into each other in the process, as they were unable to stop the Argentinian.\u00a0<\/p>\n
They became two early victims of Messi\u2019s wrath.<\/p>\n
After causing havoc against the Super Eagles back in 2014, the African side was probably done with this guy by the time Russia 2018 arrived. But Messi was not and four years later, Leo scored what is in my opinion, his greatest World Cup goal.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He received a great pass from Ever Banega, and as he was tracked down by a defender, Leo took a touch as smooth as butter with his left knee, then with his left foot, brought it down to his weaker right foot and slammed it past the goalkeeper.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hang it in the Louvre? It\u2019s a goal so good that it deserves to have its own exhibition.
\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
BROWSE BY Editor’s note: This story was originally published July 20, 2026. Lionel Messi continues to remind the football world that he’s the greatest player of all time, with one GOAT move after another. He’s the all-time leading FIFA World Cup goalscorer \u2014 and will only extend his mark with every goal. And that he […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":7256,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7257","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-soccer"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/play-live.eu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7257","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/play-live.eu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/play-live.eu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/play-live.eu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7257"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/play-live.eu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7257\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/play-live.eu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/7256"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/play-live.eu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7257"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/play-live.eu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7257"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/play-live.eu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7257"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}