FIFA World Cup 2026: Messi Sets Historic Goal Record in Argentina's Austria Win
Lionel Messi led Argentina to a 2-0 victory over Austria in the FIFA World Cup 2026, securing a spot in the last 32. Messi made history by becoming the all-time leading goalscorer in the men's tournament with 18 career goals.
Highlights
- •Lionel Messi broke the all-time men's FIFA World Cup goalscoring record, reaching 18 career goals.
- •Argentina secured a 2-0 victory over Austria in their second Group J match of the 2026 tournament.
- •Messi became the second player ever to score four or more goals in three different World Cup editions.
- •The win guarantees Argentina's progression to the round of 32 in the ongoing World Cup campaign.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 continues to deliver high-stakes drama as Argentina moves closer to securing their tournament aspirations. Following a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Austria on Monday, June 22, in Texas, legendary captain Lionel Messi characterized the triumph as a significant step forward for the defending champions.
This result ensures Argentina advances to the last 32 of the competition, maintaining a flawless record in the group stage. The team previously demonstrated their dominance with an opening 3-0 win against Algeria, a match highlighted by a spectacular hat-trick from Messi.
Record-Breaking Performance by Lionel Messi
During the match against Austria, Lionel Messi once again etched his name into football history. Before reaching his 39th birthday on June 24, the forward secured a brace that propelled him to 18 career goals in the FIFA World Cup. This achievement officially surpassed the previous all-time men’s record held by Germany's Miroslav Klose. Furthermore, Messi became only the second player in history to score four or more goals across three separate World Cup editions, a feat previously accomplished only by Klose.
Despite his monumental success, the match started with a challenge for the Argentina captain. Messi missed a penalty in the sixth minute, sending the ball wide after a VAR-assisted decision. Austria capitalized on this early momentum with an aggressive pressing strategy, placing the defending champions under pressure during the opening half.
The breakthrough eventually arrived in the 38th minute. A tactical dummy by Thiago Almada allowed the ball to reach Messi, who finished calmly into the bottom corner. As Austria pushed forward to find an equalizer in the second half, head coach Lionel Scaloni implemented strategic substitutions, bringing on Julian Alvarez and Nicolas Gonzalez to exploit the opening spaces.
The match was finalized in the 95th minute when Messi led a decisive counter-attack to net his second goal of the evening. This brace also marks his sixth consecutive World Cup match with a goal, matching the historic records set by Just Fontaine and Jairzinho. With this result, Argentina sits at the top of Group J with six points, solidifying their position as strong contenders in the FIFA World Cup 2026.
