Lionel Messi Shines as Argentina Secures World Cup Victory Over Austria

Messi Leads Argentina to Victory

In Texas on June 22, Lionel Messi celebrated Argentina's second win at the FIFA World Cup 2026, guiding the defending champions to a 2-0 triumph against Austria. This victory, marked by Messi's record-setting brace, was described by him as "a little step further" in their World Cup journey.

With this win, Argentina has secured a spot in the last 32 of the tournament, maintaining their flawless start after previously defeating Algeria 3-0, where Messi scored a hat-trick.

Shortly after the match, Messi took to Instagram to share images from the game, expressing his contentment with the team's performance and advancement in the tournament. He noted, "Another victory in a complicated match, which serves us to take a little step further."

Messi's two goals not only contributed to the win but also made him the all-time leading scorer in men's World Cup history, surpassing Germany's Miroslav Klose just before his 39th birthday. He first netted in the 38th minute, breaking Klose's record of 16 goals, and added another during stoppage time, bringing his total to 18 goals in World Cup history.

Additionally, Messi became the second player ever to score four or more goals in three different World Cup tournaments (2014, 2022, and 2026), a feat previously achieved only by Klose.

His two goals also placed him at the top of the current World Cup scoring chart, with five goals in just two matches, following his hat-trick against Algeria.

During the match, Messi faced an early setback, missing a penalty in the sixth minute after a VAR review. Austria responded with vigorous pressing, challenging the defending champions throughout the first half.

However, Messi broke the stalemate in the 38th minute, finishing calmly into the bottom corner after a clever dummy from Thiago Almada.

Despite Austria's attempts to equalize after halftime, Argentina managed the game effectively, thanks to strategic substitutions by coach Lionel Scaloni around the 64th and 65th minutes, bringing in Julian Alvarez and Nicolas Gonzalez to exploit the spaces.

As Austria pushed for an equalizer, Argentina countered effectively, with Messi sealing the victory in the 95th minute with a clinical finish.

The 38-year-old has now scored in six consecutive World Cup matches, tying the all-time record for consecutive World Cup games with a goal, a record shared with Just Fontaine of France and Jairzinho of Brazil.

This win places Argentina at the top of Group J with six points from two matches, ensuring their progression to the last 32.