Lionel Messi's magic once again proved decisive as Argentina defeated Austria 2-0. With this victory, the Albiceleste officially secured their spot in the Round of 32 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, registering two consecutive wins in Group J.
The match began with unexpected early drama. In the 8th minute, Argentine striker Lautaro Martínez was fouled inside the penalty area by Austrian defender Stefan Posch. After a VAR review, the referee awarded a penalty. However, in a rare misstep, Messi dragged the spot-kick wide of the right post.
Unfazed, the Argentine captain found his redemption in the 38th minute. Thiago Almada brilliantly dummied Facundo Medina’s pass, allowing the ball to roll perfectly into Messi's path. With his legendary left foot, he slotted the ball into the net. This historic strike marked his 17th World Cup goal in his 28th tournament appearance, officially breaking German striker Miroslav Klose’s all-time record of 16 goals.
Argentina continued to control the tempo in the second half. In the 72nd minute, substitute Nicolás González narrowly headed wide from a well-placed corner. As Austria pushed forward in desperation during added time (90+5'), Messi capitalized on a swift counterattack. He calmly navigated the stretched defense to slide the ball past goalkeeper Alexander Schlager, sealing the 2-0 win and taking his all-time World Cup tally to 18 goals.
With 5 goals in just two matches, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner is currently the tournament's top scorer. Argentina sits comfortably at the top of Group J with 6 points. Austria remains in second place with 3 points, while Jordan and Algeria are still searching for their first points.
