Arlington: Lionel Messi stands on the precipice of football history as Argentina prepare to face Austria in their second Group J match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Dallas Stadium on Monday.
The 38-year-old captain illuminated the tournament’s opening week by scoring a magnificent hat-trick during Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria. Those three goals elevated Messi’s career World Cup tally to 16, drawing him level with former Germany striker Miroslav Klose for the most goals ever scored in the history of the tournament. A single goal against Austria would see the Inter Miami star claim the historic record entirely as the outright highest scorer in World Cup history.
Both nations enter the highly anticipated fixture in excellent form, having won their respective opening matches. While the reigning world champions comfortably bypassed Algeria, Austria secured a crucial 3-1 victory over Jordan to sit closely behind Argentina in the Group J standings.
The encounter will mark a rare competitive meeting between the two sides. Argentina and Austria have only faced each other twice before in international friendlies. The most recent meeting occurred 36 years ago in May 1990, resulting in a 1-1 draw where Diego Maradona provided the assist for Jorge Burruchaga’s equaliser. A decade prior, in 1980, Maradona netted a hat-trick to inspire a resounding 5-1 Argentine victory over the Europeans.
Argentina’s manager Lionel Scaloni is expected to maintain his preferred 4-3-3 system, relying on the established core of his opening-day lineup. Keeping hold of maximum momentum remains paramount, with key stalwarts Emiliano Martínez, Cristian Romero, Rodrigo De Paul, and Lautaro Martínez all projected to start alongside Messi.
A second successive victory in Texas would virtually guarantee La Albiceleste a spot in the tournament’s knockout stages. However, Ralf Rangnick’s disciplined Austrian side presents a formidable obstacle, meaning Messi will need to be at his brilliant best to unlock their defence and claim his historic milestone.