Miroslav Klose has extended his heartfelt congratulations to Lionel Messi after the Argentine superstar officially overtook him to become the all-time leading goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history. The 38-year-old achieved this remarkable milestone with a clinical double against Austria, helping the defending champions continue their quest for further success.

Klose pays tribute to the new World Cup record holder

The German legend was gracious in his response after witnessing his long-standing record finally surpassed. Klose, who retired with 16 goals on football’s grandest stage, expressed deep admiration for the Inter Miami forward, who struck twice to guide Argentina to a 2-0 victory over Austria on Monday.

“I’ve always said Messi is no slouch,” the 48-year-old remarked. “For me, Leo is the greatest footballer of all time! Congratulations, champion!”

The former Bayern Munich forward had held the record since the 2014 World Cup but admitted that he was pleased to see a player of Messi’s calibre claim it.

Before the 2026 tournament commenced, Klose had even predicted that his tally would eventually be surpassed. “That’s perfectly fine; records are meant to be broken, and Messi is more than worthy of achieving it. I’ve always been a huge admirer of his,” said Klose.

Messi sets the record in Dallas

Messi came into the fixture against Austria having already drawn level with Klose’s 16-goal mark, thanks to a stunning hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-0 opening win over Algeria. In the high-pressure clash in Dallas, the Argentine captain moved ahead by netting twice, surpassing Klose’s record in style.

The defining moment arrived in the 38th minute when Messi scored his 17th World Cup goal. The evening became even more memorable as he added another goal in stoppage time, taking his overall tally in the competition to 18. The victory ensured Argentina’s progression to the knockout stage with one group game remaining.

Early penalty miss nearly mars the milestone

The historic night almost began with frustration for the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner. In the ninth minute, Argentina were awarded a penalty, but Messi surprisingly missed the target. Unfazed by the early setback, the veteran forward regrouped and later found the breakthrough that settled the contest.

“It’s incredible how everything turned out,” Messi said after the match. “Today I had a chance to score from the penalty spot, but I missed. Maybe if that had gone in, I wouldn’t have scored the other two — you never know. I’m delighted with the result, our performance, and the team’s effort.”

Argentina target consecutive World Cup triumphs

With six points from two games, Lionel Scaloni’s team have booked their place in the round of 32. For Messi, although the record is a moment of immense pride, his main focus remains on leading Argentina toward another world title.

“Honestly, I’m thrilled about the win above everything else,” the 38-year-old told reporters. “It was a very important and hard-fought match. It gives us confidence for what lies ahead. This is the World Cup — every match is fiercely contested and highly demanding.”