2026 World Cup: Lionel Messi Makes History Once Again; Argentina Advances to the Round of 16

Argentina secures a spot in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup with one match to spare. In Dallas, the Albiceleste defeated Austria 2-0, led by an extraordinary Lionel Messi, who was the undisputed star of the night. Despite missing a penalty in the 9th minute (awarded for a foul on Lautaro Martínez), the No. 10 redeemed himself in the 38th minute, scoring Argentina’s opening goal. In stoppage time, in the 95th minute, he added a second goal, completing his brace and setting a new record: with 18 total goals in the history of the tournament, Messi becomes the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history.

The match began with “La Pulga” missing from the spot, kicking the penalty earned by Lautaro wide. The Argentine still came close to scoring on several occasions, even facing a save on the goal line. The decisive moment came in the 38th minute, when he made the most of an assist from Medina on the left and slotted home the 1-0 goal, surpassing 17 World Cup goals and leaving Miroslav Klose behind in the all-time standings.

In the second half, Austria tried to mount a comeback, posing a threat mainly through a free kick by Sabitzer that was saved by Emiliano Martínez. For the rest of the match, however, it was once again Messi who stole the show. After nearly doubling the lead and creating chances for his teammates, he sealed the deal for good in stoppage time: sent through on a three-on-three break by Nico González, he found the net on his third attempt after two deflections by the defense.

The 2-0 victory seals Lionel Scaloni’s team’s early qualification for the knockout stage. Argentina now awaits the outcome of the Jordan-Algeria match to determine its final group standing, but in the meantime, it is enjoying a Messi in top form: five goals in the first two matches of the tournament and 18 overall at the World Cup—numbers that further fuel the legend of one of the greatest soccer players of all time.