Argentina's Lionel Messi celebrates scoring his side’s first goal. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Argentina booked its place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 knockouts by beating Austria 2-0 in a Group J game at the Dallas Stadium on Monday.

Lionel Messi struck twice to give Argentina the three points. For the opening goal, Messi finished off a team move from the edge of the box, the goal making him the leading scorer in World Cups with 17, going past Germany’s Miroslav Klose.

The 38-year-old then added a second late in the stoppage time of the second half, taking his tournament tally to five.

Earlier in the game, Messi missed a penalty after he put his effort wide, but he made amends to guide Argentina to a sixth successive knockout qualification.

Argentina won its opening game 3-0 against Algeria thanks to a Messi hat-trick.

Published on Jun 23, 2026