Argentina’s Lionel Messi (10) celebrates scoring his side’s first goal against Austria with teammates through the World Cup Group J soccer match in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, Monday, June 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
ARLINGTON, Texas — Lionel Messi set a World Cup record together with his seventeenth and 18th goals, and defending champion Argentina advanced to the knockout stage with a 2-0 victory over Austria on Monday.
Messi had a golden opportunity to interrupt the record within the ninth minute, but went wide to the appropriate on a penalty kick. Almost half-hour later, Messi caught Alexander Schlager leaning the flawed way after Thiago Almada let Facuno Medina’s pass go by him directly onto Messi’s left foot.
“There have been moments after I was really indignant about missing the penalty, but I used to be capable of make up for it,” Messi said.
READ: Messi has his first World Cup hat trick as Argentina routs Algeria
Within the waning seconds of injury time, Messi prolonged his record by sending a shot through several defenders after Schlager turned away his first attempt. He entered the sport even with Germany striker Miroslav Klose, who scored 16 goals over 4 World Cups from 2002-14.
“Beyond anything I’m so comfortable for the win,” Messi said. “It was huge, tough and difficult. It might allow us to be relaxed to what’s ahead. All matches on this World Cup are very even, very intense. I’m having fun with this moment and craving to enjoy with my teammates.”
Two days before his thirty ninth birthday and with an ailing father back home, Messi celebrated twice with teammates to the delight of the decidedly pro-Argentine crowd on the sold-out home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.
Most of those fans were wearing Messi’s familiar No. 10 jersey with white and blue stripes, dwarfing the small pockets of red-clad Austrian supporters under the retractable roof that offered air-conditioned comfort on the second day of what is bound to be one other hot Texas summer.
The scoring record got here 40 years to the day because the late Diego Maradona’s “goal of the century” — one other No. 10 who made a solo run from the opposite side of midfield to offer Argentina a two-goal lead in a 2-1 victory over England within the 1986 World Cup quarterfinals in Mexico City. Argentina went on to win the title.
Messi joined Just Fontaine and Jairzinho because the only players to attain in six straight World Cup games, and he’s second amongst men all-time with 122 international goals to Cristiano Ronaldo’s 143.
READ: ‘Whole planet’ awaits Messi’s 2 hundredth cap as Argentina opens World Cup bid
Argentina prolonged its winning streak within the tournament to eight since a shocking loss to Saudi Arabia in its 2022 opener in Qatar.
La Albiceleste clinched the highest spot in Group J with Jordan’s 2-1 loss to Algeria on Monday night. Messi’s playing status will probably be in query with nothing at stake when Argentina returns to AT&T Stadium to face Jordan in a group-stage finale Saturday night. Jordan has already been eliminated.
Messi has scored all five of Argentina goals within the tournament and has 12 World Cup goals since turning 35. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner as soccer’s best player in Europe had his first World Cup hat trick in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria in its Group J opener last week in Kansas City.
Trailing by a goal early in second-half injury time, Austria winger Patrick Wimmer went just wide on a header after Kevin Danso had sent a header his direction off a free kick.
“I believe that we were in possession of the ball greater than other people expected,” Austria coach Ralf Rangnick said through an interpreter. “Unfortunately, we weren’t capable of nullify every counter attack.”
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Austria, which opened with a 3-1 victory over Jordan, can advance with a win over Algeria on Saturday in Kansas City.