Lionel Messi delivered another masterclass as defending champions Argentina defeated Austria 2-0 in Group J of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Despite missing an early penalty, Messi scored twice to guide Argentina into the knockout stage. The Argentine captain netted his 17th and 18th World Cup goals, surpassing Miroslav Klose to become the tournament’s all-time leading scorer. Messi also joined an elite list of players to score in six consecutive World Cup matches.
His first goal came in the 38th minute after a neat combination with Thiago Almada, before adding a stoppage-time strike to seal a memorable victory for Argentina.