Messi Scores Twice as Argentina Beat Austria to Reach World Cup Knockout Stage

Argentina secured their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 knockout stage with a 2-0 victory over Austria at Dallas Stadium, thanks to a record-breaking performance from captain Lionel Messi.

Messi opened the scoring in the 38th minute to give Argentina the lead before sealing the win with his second goal deep into stoppage time in the second half.

The Argentine captain also set a new World Cup scoring record during the match, surpassing former Germany striker Miroslav Klose. Messi has now scored 18 goals in FIFA World Cup history.

With the victory, Argentina recorded their second consecutive win in Group J and moved to the top of the standings with six points. Austria remain second with three points from two matches.

Meanwhile, both Jordan and Algeria are yet to earn a point after playing one match each.

Argentina’s strong start has made them one of the first teams from Group J to advance to the knockout rounds as they continue their pursuit of another World Cup title.