Indian football star Sandesh Jhingan has lauded Argentine icon Lionel Messi for cementing his status as the highest goalscorer in World Cup history, adding that the milestone felt like absolute destiny. 

Serving as a studio analyst for Zee 5 during the FIFA World Cup 2026, Jhingan shared his perspective after Messi's crucial brace guided Argentina to a 2-0 victory over Austria. The performance pushed Messi to 18 career World Cup goals, secured Argentina's passage to the round of 32, and broke Miroslav Klose's previous record of 17 tournament goals.