Source : the age
Lionel Messi became the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer when he netted both goals in Argentina’s 2-0 win over Austria in Group J in Dallas to confirm the holders’ place in the last 32.
Messi took his total to 18 World Cup goals when he netted in the 38th and 95th minutes having earlier missed from the penalty spot as Argentina secured their second win to move on to six points.
His first strike took him past Germany’s Miroslav Klose as the all-time leading scorer in men’s World Cup history and his second ensured he moved past Marta’s 17 goals in the women’s tournament, which had stood as the overall record.
The Inter Miami playmaker, who will celebrate his 39th birthday on Wednesday, showed few signs of slowing down when he claimed his fourth and fifth goals in two matches so far at the finals.
That was despite showing a familiar weakness from 12 yards when he squandered an eighth-minute opportunity to move past Klose’s mark, which he had matched with a hat-trick against Algeria last week.
Lautaro Martinez had been scythed down as he burst into the area by a combination of Stefan Posch and Xaver Schlager although referee Amin Omar needed to view the pitchside monitor before awarding the penalty that Messi dragged wide.
That was the third World Cup penalty miss of Messi’s career, the first coming against Iceland in Russia in 2018 and the second versus Poland four years later.
David Alaba then twice frustrated Messi, poking the ball towards keeper Alexander Schlager as he shaped to shoot and later blocking a goal-bound strike but there was little the Austrian defence could do to prevent Argentina taking the lead.
Thiago Almada was the architect of the opener when he drove towards the area, laying off possession to Facundo Medina on his left and, after Almada allowed the return pass to roll through his legs, an unmarked Messi calmly stroked home.
Emi Martinez pushed Marcel Sabitzer’s set-piece to safety having seen Cristian Romero give away a needless free kick on the edge of the penalty area as Austria sought the equaliser early in the second half.
Michael Gregoritsch headed his later looping effort high over the bar for Ralf Rangnick’s side, who rarely managed to muster the quality in the final third to trouble their opponents.
Messi almost set up Nico Gonzalez to score and give the champions breathing space, but the substitute headed a left-wing corner across the face of the Austrian goal soon after the hydration break.
The second goal did eventually arrive through Messi mere moments before the final whistle.
Julian Alvarez’s initial attempt was saved by Schlager but the rebound was worked to Messi who, after seeing his first shot blocked, pounced to drive in a low strike from six yards out that confirmed the points.
Reuters
Another goal for Argentina and who else but Messi – who has now scored all five of his side’s goals in their first two games at this tournament.
It started with Messi in the lead-up, as he sent a ball wide Alvarez, who then had his shot stopped. Messi takes possession, has his initial attempt blocked before he strikes again and makes it 2-0.
And he has one last chance to make it back-to-back hat tricks with a free kick 30 yards out in the last minute of stoppage time. He hits the ball well, but it is wide. That’s full-time in a match that has been all about Messi.
Argentina 2 – Austria 0, full-time.
Even before Messi’s record-breaking goal, June 22 was already a special date in Argentine football history.
It was this day, 40 years ago, when Diego Maradona produced his career-defining performance in Argentina’s 2-1 win over England in the 1986 World Cup quarter-finals at Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium.
He scored both the infamous “Hand of God” goal and the sublime “Goal of the Century,” dribbling past half the England team. The anniversary is commemorated in Argentina as the Day of the Argentine Footballer.
More than five years after his death, Maradona remains a ubiquitous figure among Argentina supporters, the only true rival to Messi’s towering popularity.
Mohamed Salah and his Egyptian teammates have been filmed celebrating with fans on the streets of Vancouver after the side recorded their first-ever win at a World Cup.
Salah scored and assisted in another as Egypt came from a goal down to defeat New Zealand 3-1 in their Group G clash yesterday. The win was their first at the tournament, having previously played at the event in 1934, 1990 and 2018.
The win puts Egypt atop the group and almost certain to progress through to the round of 32. A reason for Salah and team to celebrate.
He’s done it. Lionel Messi is now the all-time leading goalscorer at the World Cup after opening the scoring against Austria.
And it was a brilliant finish from Argentina’s number 10. Facundo Medina cuts the ball back, and Messi hits it first time, hard and low, into the bottom corner.
Messi earlier missed his first chance at the record when he pushed a 7th-minute penalty kick wide. He now has 17 goals at World Cups, overtaking Germany’s Miroslav Klose on 16.
Argentina 1 – Austria 0, 38th minute
He’s already one of the emerging faces of the tournament – and Merlin the duck’s 15 minutes of fame are not up yet.
The pet duck in a mini Mexico shirt who has become a viral sensation and an unofficial mascot of the World Cup has now met Mexico’s president on Monday.
The duck waddled on to the stage at the start of Claudia Sheinbaum’s regular morning press conference, took a seat where ministers and officials are usually seen, and, unfazed by the occasion, let out a few quacks.
“We feel very honoured to be here with the president; it is an honour for us to stand before you and for the whole world to see the beautiful side of Mexico,” said Karla Gomez, Merlin’s owner.
Merlin’s fame was ignited during street celebrations after the co-hosts beat South Africa 2-0 in the opening game on June 11, when the costumed duck was seen wandering among the crowd on the capital’s bustling Reforma avenue. Since then, Merlin has become one of the stars of the World Cup.
Messi misses! We are only seven minutes into this match, and Argentina has an early penalty given after Lautaro Martinez is brought down in the box by Austrian defender Xaver Schlanger.
The game was initially allowed to continue, but VAR intervened, and the referee went over to the screen and awarded the spot kick.
Messi steps up, hits it with his side foot and pushes wide a chance that would have seen him become the all-time World Cup goal scorer. For now, he remained tied with Germany’s Miroslav Klose on 16.
Argentina 0 – Austria 0, 7th minute.
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the 2026 World Cup, where we will again see superstars Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland all in action on the same day.
First up, it is Messi’s Argentina who play Austria in Dallas. Coming off a hat trick against Algeria, the 38-year-old will be chasing the opportunity to become the all-time leading World Cup goalscorer, and a win would also put his side through to the knockout stages.
France v Iraq will follow that match at 7am, Norway against Senegal at 10am and then Jordan plays Algeria at 1pm.
Last week, Messi, Mbappe and Haaland scored seven goals them across three stadiums in one glorious day of World Cup football. Will we get the same day? One can hope.
