FIFA World Cup 2026: Messi reflects on Austria win, calls it "a little step further"
Texas, June 23
Lionel Messi reflected on Argentina's second victory at the FIFA World Cup 2026 after leading the defending champions to a 2-0 win over Austria with a record-breaking brace in their Group J fixture on Monday, June 22, describing the result as "a little step further" in the tournament.
The victory secured Argentina's place in the last 32 of the World Cup and continued their perfect start to the campaign. Argentina had earlier opened their tournament with a 3-0 victory over Algeria, powered by a Messi hat-trick.
A few hours after the match, Messi shared photographs from the game on Instagram and expressed his satisfaction with the team's performance and progress in the competition.
"Another victory in a complicated match, which serves us to take a little step further," Messi wrote on Instagram.
The Argentine captain scored twice as he rewrote the history books by becoming the all-time leading goalscorer in men's World Cup history ahead of his 39th birthday (June 24), flying past Germany's Miroslav Klose. He first scored in the 38th minute to surpass Klose's mark of 16 goals and then scored another in the stoppage time to now sit 18 goals in World Cup history, two strikes clear of second-placed Klose.
Messi also became just the second player in men's FIFA World Cup history to score four or more goals in three different editions of the tournament (2014, 2022 and 2026), according to Opta. The only other player to achieve the feat is Klose.
Notably, the two goals also take Messi atop the leading goalscorers list in the ongoing World Cup with five goals to his name in two matches. He came into this match on the back of a hat-trick against Algeria in Argentina's campaign opener.
Coming to the match, the Argentine captain 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 head coach Lionel 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.
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.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Messi is rewriting football history right before our eyes. 18 goals in World Cups? That's an insane achievement. India may not be in the World Cup, but we can still appreciate legends like him. His humility in calling it "a little step further" is so typical of his personality.
Honestly, I'm more impressed by Scaloni's tactical substitutions. Throwing on fresh legs like Alvarez and Gonzalez at exactly the right time - that's proper game management. And Messi finishing it off with a 95th-minute counter-attack goal? Chef's kiss! 👨🍳 This team is so balanced, they're serious contenders again.
Missed a penalty then scores two. That's the mark of a true champion - he didn't let the early setback affect him. Argentina look like the real deal. Hope we get to see Messi vs Ronaldo one last time in this World Cup!
I have a feeling this might be Messi's last World Cup, and he's making it count. Those stats - most goals, four goals in three different editions - are unreal. But I'm a bit concerned about that penalty miss; if they face a stronger team, those wasted chances could be costly. Still, what a player! 🙌
Argentina are cruising through their group, but let's be honest - Algeria and Austria are not top-tier teams. The real test will come in the knockout stages. Messi's form is great, but can he sustain this intensity in the latter rounds? I hope so, because this is history in the making.
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