Argentina’s march into the knockout rounds of the 2026 FIFA World Cup once again bore the unmistakable stamp of captain Lionel Messi. The reigning world champions secured a 2-0 victory over Austria in Arlington, Texas, with Messi scoring both goals to send La Albiceleste into the Round of 32 and add another chapter to his remarkable World Cup legacy.
Despite the historic significance of the occasion, Messi insisted that the result mattered far more than the records.
“I’m very happy with the win above all else. It was a very important victory, achieved after a difficult match and a great effort, and it gives us calm and confidence for what’s to come.”
Asked about surpassing German legend Miroslav Klose, Messi downplayed the milestone.
“Not really. We were only thinking about achieving the win.”
His performance spoke loudly enough. After missing an early penalty, the Argentine captain responded by scoring in the first half before adding a second deep into stoppage time, securing all three points and extending Argentina’s perfect start to the tournament.
The brace took Messi to five goals after only two matches of the tournament, making him the sole scorer of all five Argentine goals so far in North America. It also elevated him beyond Klose’s long-standing World Cup scoring mark, establishing a new all-time record.
Messi’s latest masterclass earned him the Man of the Match award, the 13th of his World Cup career, further extending a record that underlines his influence on football’s biggest stage. The victory was also Argentina’s 18th World Cup win with Messi involved, another benchmark in an unparalleled international career.
Beyond the statistics, the Argentine icon remained focused on the connection between the national team and its supporters.
“We’ve already given people many moments of joy, but we’ll try to give them even more.”
The win preserved one of the most extraordinary streaks in football. Every group-stage competition Messi has ever contested with a qualification phase has ended with his team advancing. Across the UEFA Champions League, FIFA World Cup, Copa América and other major tournaments, his teams have successfully navigated all 35 group-stage campaigns of his career.
Messi’s five-goal start also places him in rare World Cup company. Only a handful of players in tournament history have scored five or more goals across their first two matches of a World Cup, joining names such as Guillermo Stábile (1930), Sándor Kocsis (1954), Just Fontaine (1958), and Harry Kane (2018).
At nearly 39 years of age, Messi continues to defy expectations. Argentina are through, the records continue to fall, and the world champions head into the knockout rounds with their talisman in irresistible form.
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