Messi’s 18 World Cup Goals: How the Super Eagles Became His Favourite Victims
Lionel Messi, now 38, has rewritten World Cup history as the all-time leading scorer with 18 goals. Since lifting the trophy in 2022, his scoring rate has only increased. He has found the net against 12 different nations across six tournaments, with eight of those goals coming against European teams. In Africa, Nigeria and Algeria share the unenviable distinction of conceding three goals each to Messi. From his first tap-in at 18 years old to a historic hat-trick in 2026, this breakdown covers every World Cup goal by opponent, match moment and milestone achievement.
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