Messi Shatters World Cup History as Argentina Storms Into Knockout Round Against Austria

The 2026 World Cup remained Lionel Messi's stage as Argentina's iconic No.10 netted a brace in a 2–0 victory over Austria in Dallas on Monday, claiming sole ownership of the all-time top scoring record in tournament history.

The win sealed Argentina's spot in the round of 16 with a match still to play, and Lionel Scaloni's squad will almost certainly advance as Group J leaders, while Austria's destiny hangs on the final round of group games.

Yet the tournament's structural details took a back seat to Messi, who commanded attention from the opening whistle. The soon-to-be 39-year-old squandered a penalty just nine minutes in when Lautaro Martínez was caught between Xaver Schlager and Stefan Posch after breaking clear on goal.

Those who had gathered to witness Messi claim his landmark 17th World Cup goal—surpassing co-leader Miroslav Klose—had to wait another 28 minutes, when he latched onto a pass brilliantly dummied by Thiago Almada, slotting the ball past Alexander Schlager.

Austria pressed aggressively and proved a stubborn, combative side, but faded in the second half as Argentina maintained their grip. Ultimately, the occasion belonged to Messi, who capped the match with a second strike following some tenacious attacking play deep into stoppage time.

One Thing We Can't Ignore

No player in the history of the World Cup has found the net more times than Messi, who continues to defy the aging process in a manner that must have longevity-obsessed billionaires scrambling to take notes.

The Inter Miami star weaved and twisted through Austria's backline on several occasions, netting his two goals with characteristically clean finishes on his 201st cap for Argentina.

He has now extended his lead in the ongoing race with Kylian Mbappé. The French forward now trails Messi by four goals in the all-time standings. At 27, Mbappé has time on his side, but Messi's current form suggests these are unlikely to be his last goals at this summer's tournament.

Notably, Messi also set the record for the most missed penalties in World Cup history (three out of seven), having now failed to convert a spot kick in three different tournaments.

Argentina Player Ratings vs. Austria (4-4–2)

*Ratings Provided by FotMob*

GK: Emiliano Martínez—7.6: Had very little to do throughout, registering just a single save over the course of the match.

RB: Nahuel Molina—7.2: Stepping in for the injured Gonzalo Montiel, Molina was tenacious and dependable at right back.

CB: Cristian Romero—7.1: Appeared to be carrying a knock when he was withdrawn before the hour mark.

CB: Lisandro Martínez—7.5: Didn't face many defensive challenges as Argentina controlled proceedings after going ahead, but handled everything asked of him with ease.

LB: Facundo Medina—7.9: Delivered the ball into the box for Messi's record-breaking goal, guaranteeing his spot on highlight reels for years to come. Also made a crucial intervention to stop Austria from breaking through on goal.

RM: Rodrigo De Paul—7.1: Active in supporting Argentina's more inventive attackers, though far less prominent than he had been against Algeria.

CM: Alexis Mac Allister—7.4: Looks revitalized after a difficult season at Liverpool. The midfielder finished the game with a pass accuracy of 94% and won five of eight ground duels.

CM: Enzo Fernández—7.7: Impressive in both phases of play, showcasing his defensive qualities as Argentina were happy to sit deeper in the latter stages.

LM: Thiago Almada—7.2: Produced a sublime dummy for Messi's opener—the kind of flick you can only attempt when you know Messi is making the run behind you.

ST: Lionel Messi—8.7: What more can be said? Messi was unstoppable in the first half and decisive in the second. On another day, he could easily have bagged back-to-back hat tricks.

ST: Lautaro Martínez—7.0: Earned the early penalty after breaking in behind, but failed to create any chances or register a shot. The Inter striker can often look like a limited partner alongside Messi.

SUB: Nicolás Otamendi (57' for Cristian Romero)—6.2: Still throwing himself into challenges at 38. The experienced center back may face stiffer tests in this tournament if Martínez fails to shake off his injury.

SUB: Julián Alvarez (64' for Thiago Almada)—6.2: Offers a different attacking dimension for Scaloni, but was barely noticeable during his brief appearance.

SUB: Nicolás González (64' for Lautaro Martínez)—6.6: Came close to being played in on goal late on but couldn't find the finish.

SUB: Leandro Paredes (82' for Rodrigo De Paul)—N/A

SUB: Nicolás Tagliafico (82' for Facundo Medina—N/A

Subs not used: Gerónimo Rulli (GK), Juan Musso (GK), Gonzalo Montiel, Marcos Senesi, Exequiel Palacios, Giovani Lo Celso, Guiliano Simeone, Nico Paz, Valentín Barco, José Manuel López.

What the Ratings Tell Us

The Numbers That Explain Argentina's Victory

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