Messi matches Klose’s World Cup scoring mark but age record remains out of reach
By Joel Masibo, June 17, 2026Lionel Messi once again stole the spotlight at the FIFA World Cup after netting a hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria on Tuesday, June 16, 2026.
The three goals took the 38-year-old to 16 career goals in World Cup finals, drawing him level with German legend Miroslav Klose at the top of the tournament’s all-time scoring chart.
Despite adding another remarkable achievement to his résumé, Messi will not be able to claim the record for the oldest player to score at a World Cup finals tournament during the current edition. With his 39th birthday approaching, the Argentine captain remains well short of the age mark required, meaning he would need to feature in the 2030 tournament to challenge that milestone.
That distinction still belongs to Cameroonian icon Roger Milla, who found the net against Russia at the 1994 World Cup in the United States when he was 42 years and 39 days old. Although Cameroon suffered a heavy 6-1 defeat in that match, it remains memorable not only for Milla’s goal but also for Russian forward Oleg Salenko’s five-goal haul.
Milla had already etched his name into World Cup history four years earlier. At the 1990 tournament in Italy, he scored twice against Colombia at the age of 38 years and 34 days, becoming the oldest goalscorer in the competition at that time.
Second on the list is Portugal defender Pepe, who was 39 years and 283 days old when he headed home during Portugal’s emphatic 6-1 victory over Switzerland at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The veteran centre-back, born in Brazil, did not score another international goal afterward, though he continued representing Portugal and featured at the 2024 European Championship.
Messi’s latest strike places him third among the oldest scorers in World Cup history. However, that position could soon change if fellow football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo gets on the scoresheet at this tournament.
Ronaldo was 37 years and 292 days old when he scored against Ghana during the group stage of the 2022 World Cup. Now aged 41, the Portuguese forward would move ahead of Pepe into second place on the all-time list if he scores against DR Congo, Uzbekistan, or Colombia during this year’s competition.