But this peak is not a simple number. It is the culmination of a journey full of waiting, disappointments, doubt and finally vindication. For an entire era, the fate of the Argentine national team in World Cups had a German face. In 2006, in the quarter-finals in Berlin, Argentina bowed out on penalties against Germany after a 1-1 draw in normal time (a game on which Klose had put his own stamp). In 2010, in South Africa, followed by a heavy 4-0 with the German striker scoring twice. And then came 2014, the cruelest blow of all: the final at the Maracana, where Argentina saw the trophy lost to Mario Gotze's goal in extra time.

In all these years, Messi grew up before the eyes of the football world. From a child prodigy, he developed into the top footballer of his generation, but carrying a burden that seemed unfair: that with the national team he had not yet reached the absolute peak.

Redemption came in 2022 in Qatar, when he won the World Cup with Argentina and definitively closed any open account with the past. There his football narrative was completed. And now, with the new historical record, he seems to be adding another golden paragraph to a career that includes 8 Golden Balls, 4 Champions Leagues, a Copa América, dozens of domestic titles and more than 900 goals in total.

And yet, even the eternal champions know that football never stops. The next contender is already appearing on the horizon. Kylian Mbappe, with 14 goals in just 15 matches in the final stages of the World Cup, is approaching menacingly. If Messi seems to be living the last great chapter of his legendary journey, the Frenchman represents the future. But history also has its own poetry.

Because before the next one came, there was the one who endured, bent, got up and finally defeated his own ghosts. And that's why Lionel Messi didn't just become the top scorer in World Cups. Something much rarer happened: he became eternal. Of course, no one should ignore the fact that in 1958 a Frenchman named Just Fontaine scored 13 goals in one tournament, a number that still stands today.

The top scorers in World Cup history overall

1 Lionel Messi Argentina 38 6 28  18

2 Miroslav Klose Centre forward Germany 48 4 24 16

3 Ronaldo Centre forward Brazil 49 4 19 15

4 Kylian Mbappé Centre forward France 27 3 16 15

5 Gerd Müller Centre forward Germany - 2 13 14

6 Just Fontaine Centre forward France - 1 6 13

7 Pelé Centre forward Brazil - 4 14 12

8 Jürgen Klinsmann Centre forward Germany 61 3 17 11

9 Sándor Kocsis Centre forward Hungary - 1 5 11

10 Grzegorz Lato Right wing Poland 76 3 20 10

11 Thomas Müller Second striker Germany 36 4 19 10

12 Harry Kane Centre forward England 32 3 12 10

13 Helmut Rahn Right winger Germany - 2 10 10

14 Teófilo Cubillas Attacking midfielder Peru 77 3 13 10

15 Gabriel Batistuta Centre forward Argentina 57 3 12 10

16 Gary Lineker Centre forward England 65 2 12 10

17 Uwe Seeler Centre forward Germany - 4 21 9

18 Paolo Rossi Centre forward Italy - 3 14 9

19 Jairzinho Right winger Brazil 81 3 16 9

20 Roberto Baggio Second striker Italy 59 3 16 9