M. Klose says Lionel Messi did not just pass his World Cup scoring mark, he also rang to speak with him properly afterwards. The former Germany striker, now M. Klose, called the conversation moving and said Messi promised to send him a signed shirt after they finally had a longer chat away from the pitch.
Klose's view of Messi's record
Klose did not sound bitter about losing the record. He told bundesliga.com: "It's absolutely fine. The record was going to be broken at some point anyway, so I'm happy for Messi to do it. I am and always have been a big fan of Messi."
He went even further on the praise. "For me, Lionel Messi is the best player of all time. Congratulations, champion!" Klose said.
The record itself did not last long once Messi started scoring. He equalled Klose's mark with a hat-trick against Algeria in Argentina's opening game of 2026's edition, then moved beyond it with a brace against Austria. Messi has now reached 21 World Cup goals, and he has done it in 5 World Cup appearances in this 2026 sample.
The phone call and the signed shirt
The part that stands out is the way Klose described the exchange. "Messi and I have obviously faced each other a few times on the pitch, which was always great and respectful. But the call was the first time we've had a bit of a longer chat away from the pitch. He told me he'd send me a signed shirt," he said.
That is a pretty good way for a record to change hands. There was no sulking, no grand speech and no attempt to dress up the loss as something it was not. Klose accepted it, Messi acknowledged it, and the first proper off-pitch conversation between the two ended with a shirt on the way.
The numbers fit the tone. Messi's 9.26 rating in the 2026 World Cup sample shows the goals have come with top-level performances as well, not just volume. Klose's reaction makes the story better, because it keeps the focus on the football and the respect between two players who have met on the pitch before.
Messi's next game will add another chance to stretch that lead, while Klose's signed shirt promise turns this into more than a record note. It is also a reminder that some of football's biggest numbers still leave room for a decent conversation.
Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →