Many users today, when they have a question, no longer immediately open Google Search, but look for the answer in tools such as ChatGPT or Gemini. Due to the rapid growth of AI services, the question arises more often whether the classic Google search will lose its importance over time.
However, the latest record released by Google shows that Google Search still has a huge role to play, especially when there is a big sporting moment that the whole world is watching at the same time.
The company said that during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Google Search saw the highest usage in its history. The record was set when Argentina scored the winning goal in the round of 16 against Egypt and completed the winning story in the style of a shock reversal.
The goal of the Argentina team is the reason for the record Google Search traffic
Google director Nick Fox announced on social networks that Google Search broke all previous search records, and that the highest number was recorded right after Argentina’s decisive goal.
Google further explained that the record is measured by the number of searches per second. In other words, the moment Argentina scored the third goal, Google Search received more queries in one second than ever before. The company, however, did not disclose the exact number of searches.
After Argentina’s turnaround, queries related to the game, the national team and the history of the World Cup were among the most searched terms around the world. Among other things, users were looking for information about the Argentina match, the number of Messi’s goals in the world championships and how many times Argentina won the world championship.
Such data shows how quickly fans go to Google Search after dramatic sports moments to check the score, statistics, historical data and reactions.
This record comes at a time when Google is trying to show that the growth of AI platforms does not automatically mean the weakening of classic search. Earlier, the company’s director Sundar Pichai said during the discussion about the financial results for the first quarter of 2026 that the number of Google Search queries reached a historical maximum, but even then no specific figures were published.
That’s why the new record has a wider meaning. AI tools are increasingly changing the way users get answers, but major global events still show that Google Search remains the number one place to quickly check the latest information, reports 9to5Google.