Lionel Messi further etched his name into football legend, scoring twice to become the all-time leading scorer in FIFA World Cup history as defending champions Argentina beat Austria 2-0 in a Group J contest, Yankee Scores reports.
Messi, who turns 39 on Wednesday, has become the men’s World Cup’s all-time leading goal scorer. He had matched Miroslav Klose’s record of 16 World Cup goals with a hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-0 opener against Algeria, and lost no time in improving on it.
History is made.
Lionel Messi is the all-time top goalscorer in @FIFAWorldCup history! 🤩🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/iv8Oelxic2
— FIFA (@FIFAcom) June 22, 2026
This result means Argentina advance to the Round of 32 with a game in hand. However, it wasn’t all plain sailing for the reigning champions.
Messi fluffed an early penalty, sliding a tame, sluggish effort wide to stun a pro-Argentina crowd of 70,649 inside the air-conditioned home of the Dallas Cowboys according to Al-Jazeera
He made up for it in the 38th minute when Thiago Almada skillfully let the ball pass through his legs to set up Facundo Medina, leaving Messi alone with the goal open, and the captain stroked it in with a superb left-footed finish.
Ralf Rangnick’s Austria sat deep and were happy to hit on the counter. The visitors had no shots on target in the first half and Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez had little work to do, with just a free-kick from Marcelo Sabitzer in the early stages of the second half causing him any problems.
Messi finished it up in stoppage time when Julian Alvarez’s initial shot was saved, the rebound fell to Messi and, having seen his first effort blocked, he drove a low strike from six yards out to seal the points.
Austria had beaten World Cup debutants Jordan 3-1 in Group J action, a scoreline that flattered Rangnick’s team who needed a second-half own goal and an injury-time penalty to get over the line.
Argentina will play their last group game against Algeria.
