Messi posts training images ahead of Austria match
Argentina captain Lionel Messi has shared pictures from the team's training session on Instagram as the defending champions prepare for their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group-stage clash against Austria on Monday, June 22, local time, in Dallas. The post shows Messi alongside his Argentina teammates during preparations for their second match of the tournament.
Record-breaking hat-trick against Algeria
The training update comes after Messi delivered a sensational performance in Argentina's opening match, leading the team to a commanding 3-0 victory over Algeria with a hat-trick. The Argentine skipper opened the scoring with a powerful long-range effort before doubling the lead with a poacher's finish following a rebound. He completed his hat-trick in the 76th minute with a composed curling strike to seal the win for the defending champions.
Messi ties Klose's World Cup goal record
The hat-trick was Messi's first in FIFA World Cup history and saw him draw level with Germany's Miroslav Klose as the joint-highest scorer in men's World Cup history with 16 goals. The milestone came just days before Messi's 39th birthday and exactly 20 years after he scored his first World Cup goal in 2006. The hat-trick also saw Messi surpass legends, including Gerd Muller and Brazil's Ronaldo, on the all-time World Cup scoring list.
Before kick-off, Messi had already entered the record books as the first player to appear in six World Cups. Making his 200th appearance for Argentina, he produced a vintage display of creativity, control and finishing to guide La Albiceleste to a convincing victory.
Upcoming fixtures
Argentina will next face Austria in Dallas on Monday, June 22 (local time), while Algeria are scheduled to take on Jordan in San Francisco. (ANI)
