Lionel Messi breaks Miroslav Klose's World Cup scoring record as Argentina beat Austria 2-0
Lionel Messi scored twice as Argentina beat Austria 2-0 in their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group J match in Dallas, breaking the all-time World Cup scoring record in the process.
Argentina 2-0 Austria
Goals: 1-0 Messi 38', 2-0 Messi 90+5'
Defending champions Argentinien arrived at Dallas Stadium on the back of a 3-0 opening win over Algeria, with Lionel Messi having scored a hat-trick in that game to equal Miroslav Klose's all-time World Cup scoring record of 16 goals. Austria, meanwhile, had claimed their first World Cup victory since 1990 with a hard-fought 3-1 win over Jordan, with Bundesliga stars including Konrad Laimer, Romano Schmid, Nicolas Seiwald and Marcel Sabitzer all featuring.
The winner of this Group J encounter would be guaranteed a place in the Round of 32. Coach Ralf Rangnick made three changes to his starting line-up, bringing in Kevin Danso, Paul Wanner and Michael Gregoritsch, while Lionel Scaloni made one change for Argentina, with Nahuel Molina coming in for Gonzalo Montiel.
Messi misses the spot-kick
Argentina started brightly and created the first real chance inside four minutes, when a defence-splitting pass put Lautaro Martínez in behind. Just as he was about to shoot, Stefan Posch and Seiwald converged to snuff out the opportunity. The VAR reviewed the incident and the referee pointed to the spot — a penalty for Argentina.
Messi stepped up in the ninth minute with the chance to break Klose's record, but he dragged his effort wide of the right post, with Alexander Schlager also diving the right way. It was a rare miss from the spot for the Argentine captain, who had now failed to convert three of his seven World Cup penalties.
Messi breaks the record
Despite the setback, Argentina continued to press and Messi went close again in the 19th minute, only for David Alaba to make a crucial last-ditch block before Schlager could be beaten. Austria grew into the game and Sabitzer had a shot blocked inside the box in the 23rd minute, with the resulting corner coming to nothing. The match remained tight and evenly contested through the half-hour mark, with both defences largely on top.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 38th minute. Facundo Medina cut the ball back across the box from the left, finding Messi just inside the area, who swept the ball into the near bottom corner with his left foot. It was his 17th World Cup goal, making him the outright all-time record scorer, surpassing Miroslav Klose.
Austria push for an equaliser
Austria came out with renewed purpose after the interval and immediately put Argentina under pressure, though they were unable to create a clear-cut chance. Sabitzer tested Emiliano Martínez with a well-struck free-kick from the left in the 55th minute, but the goalkeeper made a good save. Cristian Romero was replaced by Nicolás Otamendi in the 58th minute, Argentina's first change of the game.
Gregoritsch headed over from close range after a Sabitzer cross in the 67th minute, wasting Austria's best opportunity of the half. Argentina then made a double substitution in the 64th and 65th minutes, with Julián Álvarez replacing Almada and Nico González coming on for Martínez. Austria responded with a triple change of their own in the 67th and 68th minutes: Marco Friedl for Alaba, Alexander Prass for Posch, and Marko Arnautović for Wanner.
Messi seals it in stoppage time
Messi's corner in the 73rd minute was met by González, whose header flashed just past the far post. Austria went close in the 93rd minute when Wimmer glanced a header just wide from a Sabitzer free-kick. However, Argentina sealed the win in the 95th minute.
A swift counter-attack saw Álvarez go one-on-one with Schlager, who made the save, but the rebound fell to Messi. His first attempt was blocked, but he prodded the ball home from close range to make it 2-0 and complete his brace. Messi's tally of World Cup goals now stands at 18.
