Messi surpasses Klose as all-time World Cup top scorer
Lionel Messi etched his name deeper into football history on Monday, scoring twice to lead defending champions Argentina to a 2-0 victory over Austria in their Group J clash at Dallas Stadium. The brace took his men's FIFA World Cup tally to 18 goals, surpassing Germany's Miroslav Klose (16) as the all-time leading scorer in the tournament's history.
Messi opened the scoring in the 38th minute, slotting into the bottom corner after a clever dummy from Thiago Almada. He added a second in the 95th minute on a swift counter-attack, sealing the win and his place in the record books. The 38-year-old, who turns 39 on June 24, now holds the outright record for most World Cup goals, two ahead of Klose.
Historic achievement: Fourth goal in three different tournaments
According to Opta, Messi 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). The only other player to achieve this feat is Klose. Messi also moved to the top of the scoring charts in the ongoing World Cup with five goals in just two matches, following his hat-trick against Algeria in Argentina's opener.
Messi has now scored in six consecutive World Cup matches, equalling the all-time record held by France's Just Fontaine and Brazil's Jairzinho.
Match: Early penalty miss, tactical resilience
The Argentine captain endured a frustrating start, missing a penalty in the sixth minute after a VAR-awarded spot kick. Austria responded with energetic pressing, troubling the defending champions for much of the first half. However, Messi broke the deadlock just before halftime, finishing calmly after Almada's dummy.
After the break, Austria continued to push, but Argentina managed the game through tactical substitutions from head coach Lionel Scaloni around the 64th and 65th minutes. Fresh legs Julian Alvarez and Nicolas Gonzalez helped exploit spaces as Austria committed players forward in search of an equaliser. Deep into stoppage time, Messi led a swift counter-attack and finished clinically to complete his brace.
Group J: Argentina through to last 32
The win moved Argentina to the top of Group J with six points from two matches, securing their place in the last 32. Austria, despite a resilient performance, remain with three points from their opening fixture.
