Lionel Messi has become Argentina‘s all-time leading goal scorer at World Cup finals, after scoring a penalty in the first half of Tuesday’s semifinal against Croatia.
Messi, 35, overtook Gabriel Batistuta’s previous record of 10 goals, which he scored at the 1994, 1998 and 2002 World Cups.
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Messi put Argentina ahead in the 34th minute from the penalty spot following a foul on Julian Alvarez by Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic.
Messi’s 11 goals also tie him for sixth for most goals in the history of the men’s World Cup, with Sandor Kocsis and Jürgen Klinsmann. Only Miroslav Klose (16), Brazil’s Ronaldo (15), Gerd Muller (14), Just Fontaine (13) and Pele (12) are now ahead of him.
He is the oldest man to score five goals at a single World Cup and level with France‘s Kylian Mbappe in the race for the Golden Boot.
