History in Arlington
Lionel Messi became the FIFA World Cup's all-time leading scorer on Monday, scoring twice to lead defending champions Argentina to a 2-0 victory over Austria at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The 38-year-old entered the match tied with Germany's Miroslav Klose on 16 World Cup goals after scoring a hat-trick against Algeria in Argentina's opening group match. His first-half strike and second-half finish pushed his tally to 18 goals across six World Cup tournaments.
Argentina's dominant campaign
The victory puts Argentina top of Group J with six points from two matches, having scored five goals without conceding. Playing in his record-extending sixth World Cup, Messi continues to defy age as the centerpiece of a squad looking to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to successfully defend the title. Argentina entered the tournament as the first defending champions since 2006 to win their opening group game, and have now extended that streak with a dominant performance against a disciplined Austrian side.
World Cup 2026 momentum
The tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, continues to deliver drama. Earlier matches saw Kylian Mbappe's France take on Iraq and the US Men's National Team prepare for their upcoming fixture against Turkiye after wins over Paraguay and Australia. Messi's record-breaking achievement adds to a growing list of historic moments in a tournament that is already being called one of the most memorable World Cups.