Lionel Messi sets World Cup record with 18 goals after win over Austria

Lionel Messi now owns the most prolific scoring record in World Cup history. The Argentine forward netted twice during a 2-0 win over Austria on June 22 in Arlington, Texas, pushing his career tournament tally to 18 goals and surpassing Miroslav Klose’s long-standing mark of 16.

The goals and the record

Messi’s first goal came in the 38th or 39th minute, and his second arrived deep in stoppage time. Klose’s previous record of 16 goals was accumulated across four separate World Cups. Messi has now eclipsed it across six tournaments, a span stretching back to his teenage debut in Germany 2006.

The brace also means Messi has scored in six consecutive World Cup matches dating back to the 2022 tournament in Qatar, where Argentina lifted the trophy.

The crypto angle: $ARG fan token surges

Within minutes of the second goal hitting the net, the Argentina fan token ($ARG) experienced a substantial trading surge.

FIFA appointed Kraken as its first Official Crypto Exchange Supporter for the 2026 World Cup, a partnership that gives digital assets an unprecedented level of visibility during the most-watched sporting event on Earth.

Polymarket reported record trading volumes totaling over $5B during the tournament.

What this means for investors

FIFA’s blockchain integrations for ticketing and digital collectibles during the 2026 tournament represent a structural shift. The $ARG token specifically carries a unique risk profile. Its value is disproportionately tied to Argentina’s tournament performance and, more specifically, to Messi’s individual moments of brilliance.

The risk, as always, is that regulatory scrutiny follows the money, and $5B in prediction market volume is exactly the kind of number that attracts attention from lawmakers who have been skeptical of crypto’s role in sports betting.

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