Messi breaks all-time men's World Cup scoring record with brace in Argentina's 2-0 win over Austria
Lionel Messi scored twice against Austria to take his World Cup tally to 18 goals — the all-time men's record — as Argentina secured a spot in the round of 32 with a commanding 2-0 victory in Dallas.
In one of the most emotional nights in World Cup history, Lionel Messi became the all-time leading scorer in men's World Cup football on Sunday evening, netting twice against Austria at AT&T Stadium in Dallas to take his tally to an extraordinary 18 goals.
The 38-year-old captain had a shaky start, missing an early penalty after VAR awarded a spot-kick for a foul on Lautaro Martínez. But Messi, as so many times before, answered any doubts emphatically. In the 38th minute, he received a low cross from Facundo Medina and steered a trademark finish past the Austrian goalkeeper.
The moment the crowd had been waiting for arrived in the 90th minute, when Messi twisted past four Austrian defenders in a small pocket of space before rolling the ball home to seal Argentina's passage to the round of 32. The stadium erupted — they had just witnessed history.
Argentina top Group J with maximum points and a goal difference of +5, establishing themselves as a clear favourite for back-to-back World Cup titles.
