Former Danish goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel has claimed that Lionel Messi’s record-breaking goal in Argentina’s 2–0 victory over Austria was illegal. The match, held on June 23, 2026, saw Messi surpass Miroslav Klose’s 16-goal record to become the top scorer in World Cup history. The Argentine captain, aged 39, scored in the 38th minute after missing a penalty earlier in the match. He later added another goal in injury time, bringing his total to 18 World Cup goals.

Schmeichel, serving as an analyst for Fox Sports, argued that the first goal should have been disallowed because Argentina’s Alexis Mac Allister fouled Austria’s midfielder Xaver Schlager just before the goal. He said the incident was a clear free-kick and that VAR should have intervened to cancel the goal, calling it a clear referee mistake. Despite the controversy, Messi’s second goal secured Argentina’s win and cemented his place as the all-time leading World Cup scorer.

The match also marked Messi’s third missed penalty in World Cup history, the most by any player in the tournament.