Argentina’s Lionel Messi. File
| Photo Credit: AP
The FIFA World Cup 2026 group stages are turning out to be a goal fest.
Also read | FIFA World Cup 2026: Messi breaks all-time scoring record with 17th goal
Lionel Messi’s first goal in Argentina’s match against Austria saw him overtake Miroslav Klose as the tournament’s leading goalscorer, and he bettered his own tally in the dying moments of the match. Messi now has 18 goals, and with Argentina through to the knockouts, he would sure hope to score more goals, in what could potentially be his last World Cup. France’s Kylian Mbappe is hot on Messi’s heels with 16 goals.
Amidst these individual records, the goals scored so far in the group stages have also shattered the ceilings. According to Optajoe’s X handle, the most goals scored in the group stages of a World Cup was 136 goals scored in 48 matches in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. The record was broken in the 45th match of this year’s campaign between Portugal and Uzbekistan.
A total of 141 goals have been scored so far in the first 48 games of this season. With an extended World Cup this year and 24 more group stage matches remaining, the final tally of group stage goals is far from done.
Published – June 24, 2026 03:27 pm IST
