Lionel Messi Shatters World Cup Records in Argentina's Victory Over Austria
Messi's Historic Performance
File image of Lionel Messi(Photo: X)
Dallas, June 23: In a stunning display, Lionel Messi scored two goals, leading Argentina to a 2-0 victory against Austria in a Group J match at Dallas Stadium, thus securing their place in the knockout stages of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Messi's remarkable performance saw him net his 17th and 18th World Cup goals, setting a new record for the most goals scored by an individual in the tournament's history. Just days shy of his 39th birthday, he overcame an early penalty miss to score in the 38th minute, followed by another goal just before the match concluded.
With this win, Argentina claimed their second victory in Group J, ensuring their advancement to the last 32. They will officially be group winners if Jordan does not defeat Algeria later in the day.
The match was a milestone for Messi, who scored his first goal in the 38th minute, breaking the record for the most individual goals in World Cup history. This goal marked his fourth in the ongoing tournament.
Not only did Messi surpass the previous record of 16 goals held by Miroslav Klose, but he also joined the ranks of Just Fontaine and Jairzinho as the only players to score in six consecutive World Cup matches. His tally now stands at 17 goals, with Kylian Mbappe and Gerd Müller trailing behind with 14 goals each.
Messi further extended his record by scoring an opportunistic goal in the fifth minute of added time, sealing the match at 2-0 for Argentina.
Argentina faced stiff competition from Austria, but Messi's leadership shone through as he orchestrated a brilliant play. After receiving the ball from Thiago Almada, he executed a powerful shot that beat Austria's goalkeeper Alexander Schlager. Although he had a chance to score earlier from a penalty, he missed, but quickly redeemed himself with his goals.
At halftime, Argentina held a 1-0 lead over Austria. The team initially struggled to maintain control after Messi's penalty miss, allowing Austria to dominate for a period. However, Argentina regained their momentum, with Messi's creativity in midfield leading to the opening goal.