Another game, another record for Lionel Messi – not that the Argentina captain will have been thinking about this one in the slightest as he opened the scoring for his country in the 2022 FIFA World Cup final.
The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner's emphatic first-half penalty beyond France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris meant he had scored in each round of the finals in Qatar, the first man to do so in the tournament's modern format.
Brazilian great Jarzinho scored in every game of the 1970 World Cup, but the tournament then did not feature a Round of 16 stage.
Messi's strike gave the all-time great belief of winning his first World Cup with his nation, having lifted the Copa America in 2021.
After Messi made his mark from the spot again, let's take a look at the latest landmark for the celebrated forward.
MORE: Follow the World Cup 2022 final live
Lionel Messi World Cup goal record
The all-time top scorer for former club Barcelona is known for performing on the big stage — he is routinely prolific in the UEFA Champions League — but had previously never scored in a match after the Round of 16 stage at the World Cup prior to this year's tournament.
Heading into Qatar 2022, Messi had six goals in 19 finals appearances overall, finding the net at least once in all but one of the tournaments he had appeared at.
This year, at Qatar 2022, he has taken those figures to new levels.
| World Cup | Stage eliminated | Games | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Quarterfinals | 3 | 1 |
| 2010 | Quarterfinals | 5 | 0 |
| 2014 | Final | 7 | 4 |
| 2018 | Round of 16 | 4 | 1 |
| 2022 | Winners | 7 | 7 |
Lionel Messi World Cup goal highlights
From opening his account in a rout to scoring matchwinners, Messi's highlights reel at the World Cup is one to remember.
Germany 2006 group stage matchday 2
Eight days before turning 21, Messi became Argentina's youngest ever scorer at the finals with a wonderful goal two minutes from time in front of the celebrating Maradona.
- Opponent: Serbia and Montenegro
- Goal minute: 88
- Goalkeeper: Dragoslav Jevric
- Score at time of goal: 5-0
- Final score: 6-0
- HIGHLIGHT
Brazil 2014 group stage matchday 1
Having failed to score as part of a run that was resoundingly ended by a 4-0 defeat to Germany in the quarterfinals in 2010, Messi produced a sublime strike in the opening game in Brazil four years later.
- Opponent: Bosnia-Herzegovina
- Goal minute: 65
- Goalkeeper: Asmir Begovic
- Score at time of goal: 1-0
- Final score: 2-1
- HIGHLIGHT
Brazil 2014 group stage matchday 2
Argentina's underdog opponents came painfully close to a famous result before Messi intervened with a long-range strike in added time to earn his country another three points in dramatic style.
- Opponent: Iran
- Goal minute: 90+1
- Goalkeeper: Alireza Haghighi
- Score at time of goal: 0-0
- Final score: 1-0
- HIGHLIGHT
His fifth #FIFAWorldCup awaits 🇦🇷
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) November 13, 2022
Will Lionel Messi lead Argentina to glory? pic.twitter.com/2WgBDJ7Pig
Brazil 2014 group stage matchday 3
Messi fired a rebound into the net to put Argentina ahead early in their second group stage match of the tournament, although they conceded just a minute later.
- Opponent: Nigeria
- Goal minute: 3
- Goalkeeper: Vincent Enyeama
- Score at time of goal: 0-0
- Final score: 3-2
- HIGHLIGHT
Brazil 2014 group stage matchday 3
A 25-yard free-kick was the pick of Messi and Argentina's goals as they held off opponents who twice equalised and qualified from their group despite the defeat.
- Opponent: Nigeria
- Goal minute: 45+1
- Goalkeeper: Vincent Enyeama
- Score at time of goal: 1-1
- Final score: 3-2
- HIGHLIGHT
Russia 2018 group stage matchday 3
Messi put Argentina ahead with a deft early run and strike but they would have been eliminated without Marcos Rojo's 86th-minute winner.
- Opponent: Nigeria
- Goal minute: 14
- Goalkeeper: Francis Uzoho
- Score at time of goal: 0-0
- Final score: 2-1
- HIGHLIGHT
Qatar 2022 group stage matchday 1
Argentina's first goal of the tournament looked to have put them on course for a victory over Saudi Arabia as routine as Messi's penalty conversion — but the team ranked 51st in the world at the time hit back with two second-half goals to earn a sensational 2-1 win.
- Opponent: Saudi Arabia
- Goal minute: 10
- Goalkeeper: Mohammed Alowais
- Score at time of goal: 0-0
- Final score: 1-2
- HIGHLIGHT
Qatar 2022 group stage matchday 2
Despite being one of the favourites for the title, Argentina were on their way out of the finals before Messi intervened with a deadly long-range strike to ease the nerves in an eventual 2-0 win.
- Opponent: Mexico
- Goal minute: 64
- Goalkeeper: Emiliano Martínez
- Score at time of goal: 1-0
- Final score: 2-0
- HIGHLIGHT
Qatar 2022 Round of 16
Another nerve-settler as Messi curled in from just inside the penalty area to stylishly conclude a slick sequence of passing.
- Opponent: Australia
- Goal minute: 35
- Goalkeeper: Mat Ryan
- Score at time of goal: 1-0
- Final score: 2-1
- HIGHLIGHT
Qatar 2022 quarterfinals
This late penalty looked to have put Argentina out of sight in the final eight — but the Netherlands scored twice after the 82nd minute and were only eventually beaten on penalties, with Messi scoring first in the shootout.
- Opponent: Netherlands
- Goal minute: 35
- Goalkeeper: Andries Noppert
- Score at time of goal: 2-0
- Final score: 2-2 (4-3 on penalties)
- HIGHLIGHT
Qatar 2022 semifinals
Messi reached his second World Cup final as Argentina blew away Croatia in the semifinals this time. The spot-kick specialist did the business when presented with a penalty again, then Julian Alvarez scored in both halves to seal a comfortable win over Croatia.
- Opponent: Croatia
- Goal minute: 34
- Goalkeeper: Dominik Livakovic
- Score at time of goal: 1-0
- Final score: 3-0
- HIGHLIGHT
Qatar 2022 final
Argentina started the final as slight underdogs against the reigning champions but was swiftly on target as part of a serene first-half display for his team in which Angel Di Maria added to the scoresheet with a clinical finish before the break.
- Opponent: France
- Goal minute: 23
- Goalkeeper: Hugo Lloris
- Score at time of goal: 1-0
- Final score: (Argentina win 4-2 on penalties)
- HIGHLIGHT
Qatar 2022 final
Having been forced to extra time by a stunning double from Kylian Mbappe, Messi rescued Argentina again when in the first half of extra time he latched onto a rebound to fire his side in front 3-2. After Mbappe had levelled again, he then scored in the shootout to send Argentina to glory,
- Opponent: France
- Goal minute: 108
- Goalkeeper: Hugo Lloris
- Score at time of goal: 2-2
- Final score: 3-3 (Argentina win 4-2 on penalties)
- HIGHLIGHT
What is the record for most World Cup goals?
Where does Messi rank among the all-time top World Cup finals scorers of all time? Having started the 2022 FIFA World Cup in joint-11th, he leapfrogged the likes of Diego Maradona, Thomas Muller and Roberto Baggio at the finals.
We've listed the players to have scored more than 10 goals at World Cup tournaments below.
| Player | Team | Goals | Games | Tournaments |
| Miroslav Klose | Germany | 16 | 24 | 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014 |
| Ronaldo | Brazil | 15 | 19 | 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006 |
| Gerd Muller | Germany | 14 | 13 | 1970, 1974 |
| Just Fontaine | France | 13 | 6 | 1958 |
| Lionel Messi | Argentina | 13 | 26 | 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 |
| Pele | Brazil | 12 | 14 | 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970 |
| Kylian Mbappe | France | 12 | 14 | 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 |
| Sandor Kocsis | Hungary | 11 | 5 | 1954 |
| Jurgen Klinsmann | Germany/West Germany | 11 | 17 | 1990, 1994, 1998 |
