Lionel Messi has done it again. The maestro delivered yet another single-handed performance, as Argentina sealed a 2-0 win over Austria at the Dallas Stadium, securing qualification for the round of 32. However, more importantly, the all-time record of goals scored in the World Cup that belonged to Miroslav Klose has fallen to Lionel Messi. Messi now has 18 World Cup goals and stands at the very pinnacle of football.
Resilience Under Pressure
If football has its gods, those gods at some point too shall struggle. After uncharacteristically blundering an 8th-minute penalty shot and looking disappointed for the first time in the match, not one soul would doubt the ability Lionel Messi to dust it off and continue with his magic. And it is with that it came, when in the 38th minute the all-time top scorer would net a stunning goal.
A perfect through ball in the box that was met with a perfectly struck left-footed strike would see the ball sail into the back of the net, giving the former Ballon d’Or winner World Cup all-time goalscoring record.
Austrian test resisted
Ralf Rangnick’s men actually gave Argentina the run-around for large periods in the match. With an aggressive front line and constant high pressure they stifled their opponents for a while but there was just a lack of offensive ingenuity to trouble the world’s best defence.
As the night would turn on, even Austria’s midfield workhorse, Konrad Laimer, would eventually run out of legs in the end. It was a testament to Argentina’s stern defence that Austria only managed one single shot on target all night.
A stoppage-time encore
As Austria’s players threw everything at the line to get an equalizer in the dying minutes, Messi was not finished yet. In the 95th minute, a ball from Leandro Paredes would be laid on a plate for his talisman who showed his cool once again as he tucked his second into the back of the net with an even more emphatic effort.
That late 90+5’ strike moves Messi to an incredible five goals in two games at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as he’s simply aging like fine wine.
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