Messi's brace secures Argentina's knockout berth
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni praised Lionel Messi's commitment after the legendary forward scored twice in a 2-0 win over Austria in their Group J match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Monday, June 22 (local time) in Texas, US. The victory ensured the defending champions' place in the last 32 of the tournament, as reported by Reuters.
Messi's brace not only secured victory but also made him the all-time leading goalscorer in men's FIFA World Cup history, surpassing Germany's Miroslav Klose. He opened the scoring in the 38th minute to move past Klose's tally of 16 goals and added another in stoppage time, taking his overall World Cup tally to 18 goals, two ahead of the German legend. This achievement came just two days before his 39th birthday on June 24.
Scaloni highlights Messi's defensive work
Speaking after the match, Scaloni emphasised Messi's commitment and defensive effort, noting how he worked hard off the ball and helped the team by winning back possession during difficult moments. "When the team was having a rough time without the ball he worked, he managed to steal the ball. You could see his level of commitment," Scaloni said as quoted by Reuters.
Scaloni added that Messi's commitment and influence set him apart, and there is little left to say about the Argentine star because of how consistently he delivers for the team. "There's a reason for that, he has commitment and this is what he generates. I have no more words to talk about Leo. It makes us a little bit tired talking about him all the time," he said.
Argentina's resilience tested by Austria
Scaloni described the match against Ralf Rangnick's team as difficult and said Argentina had to stay calm under pressure. He praised Messi's performance and goal-scoring, especially during tough phases of the game. "It had been complex. We had the peace of mind we needed toward the end. I'm so happy with Leo's performance, he scored again when we are suffering. The team did suffer today, at times they were creating difficulties and we didn't have possession. We know how to suffer and that's something praiseworthy as a team," he said.
"The team knows how to behave at all times. This was an opponent that had very tall players, that posed a challenge. No one thought this would be easy. The two matches we have had so far have been complex," he added.
Scaloni confident in Argentina's title credentials
Back-to-back wins in Group J have secured Argentina's place in the knockout stage, and Scaloni remains confident that the defending champions will be strong contenders as the tournament reaches its decisive phase. "This World Cup has nothing to do with playing favourites or the players in the national teams. There are other elements at play, the levels of fitness, the emotional element. There are so many teams that can win, one of the big ones will win. We will be there, we will be one of the contenders, but it will be hard facing one of these big teams. But it will be hard for them facing us," he said.
Match details: Messi overcomes early penalty miss
Messi endured a frustrating start after missing a penalty in the sixth minute, sending his effort wide following a VAR-awarded spot kick. Austria responded with an energetic pressing display and troubled the defending champions for much of the first half. However, Messi broke the deadlock in the 38th minute. A clever dummy from Thiago Almada allowed the ball to run through to the veteran forward, who calmly finished into the bottom corner to give Argentina the lead.
Austria continued to push after the break, but Argentina managed the game well through a series of tactical substitutions from Scaloni around the 64th and 65th minutes, introducing fresh legs in Julian Alvarez and Nicolas Gonzalez to exploit spaces as the match opened up. As Austria committed players forward in search of an equaliser, Argentina struck again deep into stoppage time. Messi led a swift counter-attack and finished clinically in the 95th minute to seal a 2-0 victory and complete his brace.
Messi's record-breaking streak continues
The 38-year-old has now scored in six consecutive World Cup matches and has equalled the all-time record of six straight World Cup games with a goal, a mark jointly held by France's Just Fontaine and Brazil's Jairzinho. The win moves Argentina to the top of Group J with six points from two matches, putting them through to the last 32.
