‘So proud of you, Leo’: Shakira cheers as Messi becomes World Cup all-time top scorer with 17th goal

Lionel Messi keeps racing past milestones. The Argentina captain struck his 17th goal in World Cup history to become the competition’s all-time leading scorer, before adding a second in stoppage time as defending champions Argentina sealed a 2-0 win over Austria on Monday.

And watching it all unfold from the stands at Dallas Stadium was none other than Shakira, who turned spectator into superfan for the FIFA World Cup Group J clash.

Shakira later shared her reaction on Instagram Stories, posting a picture of Messi and writing:
“So proud of you Leo and of everything you're accomplishing for your family, your country, and the entire Latino community. Your commitment and dedication are an inspiration to so many. Keep shining!”

She was in prime view when Messi’s record-breaking moment landed, a fitting backdrop for a player who has spent years turning World Cup nights into highlight reels.

Shakira has had a 20-year association to FIFA. Ever since Waka Waka became the soundtrack of the 2010 World Cup, Shakira has remained closely tied to football’s biggest stage. She also contributed La La La for the 2014 tournament and later collaborated with Burna Boy for the 2026 official anthem Dai Dai. Reports also suggest she is expected to feature at the World Cup final halftime show.

For Messi, the record is just the latest line in a career. His first strike in the match took him beyond Germany’s Miroslav Klose at 16 World Cup goals, before he extended the tally to 18 with his late finish.

Earlier in the tournament, Messi had already made history in Argentina’s opener against Algeria, scoring a hat-trick in a 3-0 win during his 200th international appearance — a performance that also made him the oldest player to score a World Cup hat-trick, surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo’s previous mark.

Asked about his record-breaking run, Messi said, “Honestly, I don't know. I don't really even remember them. I'm tired, I don't have much energy left, and I'm finding it hard to think straight. I'm just going to enjoy this moment and celebrate it with my teammates. I'm making the most of the moment, and I want to see how far we can go together. Today, there was that [missed] penalty, but perhaps I wouldn't have scored the other goals if it had gone in,” Argentine legend Lionel Messi said, as quoted by FIFA.