Lionel Messi produced another record-breaking display as Argentina defeated Austria 2-0 at Dallas Stadium, securing their place in the Round of 32 of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The reigning world champions dominated much of the contest and claimed their second consecutive victory of the tournament with an impressive performance. Argentina created multiple scoring opportunities in the opening half and even failed to convert a penalty before Messi broke the deadlock in the 38th minute.
The goal carried historic significance, as the Argentine captain surpassed Germany’s Miroslav Klose to become the highest scorer in FIFA World Cup history. Messi entered the match tied with Klose on 16 goals, but his opener moved him to 17. He later struck again in stoppage time, taking his World Cup tally to 18 goals from 28 appearances.
Having already scored a hat-trick against Algeria in Argentina’s opening match of the tournament, Messi’s latest brace against Austria further enhanced his extraordinary legacy on football’s biggest stage.
The 38-year-old also achieved another remarkable milestone by finding the net in six consecutive World Cup matches. In doing so, he joined France’s Just Fontaine and Brazil’s Jairzinho, while becoming the first Argentine player ever to score in six straight World Cup games.
Messi’s record-setting evening extended beyond goals. He strengthened his hold on several World Cup records, including the most appearances by a player, the most World Cup victories with 18 wins, and the most minutes played in tournament history, reaching 2,489 minutes.
