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Mesi's double sends Argentina through and sets record

Argentina beat Austria 2-0 to seal progress from Group J as Lionel Messi moved clear as the World Cup’s all-time top scorer.

Filed Monday, 22 June 2026

Mesi's double sends Argentina through and sets record

Argentina booked their place in the World Cup knockout stage with a 2-0 win over Austria, and Lionel Messi made history by taking his tournament tally to 18 goals.

Messi had earlier missed a penalty after Lautaro Martínez was brought down and VAR awarded the spot-kick, but Argentina stayed on the front foot. Thiago Almada and Facundo Medina helped create the opening goal in the 38th minute, which Messi finished to move on to 17 World Cup goals and go past Miroslav Klose.

Austria struggled to trouble Emiliano Martínez after the break, although Marcel Sabitzer forced a save from a set piece. Argentina also passed up chances through Nicolás González and Enzo Fernández.

In stoppage time, Austria pushed forward and left space behind. Messi found Julián Álvarez, whose effort was saved by Alexander Schlager, but the rebound fell back to the Argentina captain, who smashed in his second of the night and his 18th World Cup goal.