Argentina secured their place in the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating Austria 2-0 in their second Group J match at AT&T Stadium.
As expected, Lionel Messi was the star of the show, scoring both goals to guide the reigning world champions to a second consecutive victory of the tournament.
The Albiceleste had an early opportunity to take the lead when they were awarded a penalty in the ninth minute after Lautaro Martínez was brought down in the box. However, Messi saw his spot-kick saved, leaving the scores level.
The Argentine captain made amends in the 38th minute, finding the back of the net to break the deadlock and hand his side a deserved lead before the interval.
That historic strike saw Messi become the outright leading goalscorer in men’s FIFA World Cup history, surpassing all previous records with his 17th tournament goal.
Austria battled hard in the second half and looked to find a way back into the contest, but Argentina’s defence stood firm.
Messi then put the result beyond doubt late in the game, scoring his second goal of the evening and taking his World Cup tally to an incredible 18 goals.
The victory sends Argentina through to the Round of 32 with a game to spare and further strengthens their credentials as contenders to retain the trophy.
Argentina will conclude their Group J campaign against Jordan on June 28, while Austria face Algeria in their final group-stage fixture on the same day.
