ARLINGTON, Texas: Lionel Messi set the Messi World Cup record with his 17th and 18th tournament goals as Argentina beat Austria 2-0 in their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group J match on Monday.
The Argentina captain moved past Germany’s Miroslav Klose, who held the previous men’s World Cup scoring mark with 16 goals. Messi had equalled Klose’s record with a hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria last week.
Messi missed a penalty earlier against Austria but scored in the first half at AT&T Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys. AP reported he added another goal in stoppage time as defending champions Argentina advanced to the knockout stage.
The 38-year-old is playing in his sixth World Cup, having made his tournament debut in 2006. He now has 122 goals for Argentina, according to AP.
Messi entered the tournament after concerns about a hamstring injury and personal difficulties linked to his father’s health. Midfielder Alexis Mac Allister said after the Algeria win that Messi remained Argentina’s most important player.
Read: Argentina Beat Algeria 3-0 as Messi Equals Klose Record
Argentina can now turn to its Group J finale against Jordan in Arlington. AP reported Austria must beat Algeria to keep its hopes of advancing alive.
