messi shatters world cup record | argentina blank austria 2-0 to reach knockouts
MATCH INFO
Argentina 2-0 Austria
Date: June 22, 2026
Competition: FIFA World Cup - Group J
Venue: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
defending champions argentina booked their ticket to the world cup round of 32 with a 2-0 win over austria. despite an early penalty miss, lionel messi took center stage once again, scoring twice to become the all-time top scorer in world cup history with 18 goals.
Goals
- minute 38 lionel messi finish: 1-0 argentina. messi orchestrates a quick attacking sequence before making a perfectly timed run to tap in facundo medina’s low cross.
- minute 90+5 lionel messi strike: 2-0 argentina. deep into stoppage time, messi reacts quickest to a loose ball inside a crowded penalty area, firing past the keeper to seal the victory.
How It Went
the match started with shocking drama when lionel messi dragged a 9th-minute penalty wide after lautaro martinez was brought down. an organized austrian defense, marshalled by david alaba, briefly frustrated the holders. however, argentina's class showed through just before the break when messi redeemed his miss with a clever combination play and tap-in. the second half was a gritty, high-foul affair. austria pushed for an equalizer, but a rock-solid argentina defense kept emiliano martínez largely untested. the historic moment was finalized late in injury time when messi scrambled home his second of the night to punch argentina’s knockout ticket.
Quick Take
- argentina secure maximum points from their opening two group games without conceding a single goal.
- lionel messi stands alone in football history, surpassing miroslav klose's 16-goal tally to claim the ultimate world cup goal-scoring record.
- total heartbreak for ralf rangnick's stubborn austria side, who must now beat algeria to qualify.
- a perfect night for scaling out rotation, as scaloni's men can now rest key players for their final group match against jordan.