Lionel Messi shattered the FIFA World Cup all-time scoring record with a brace against Austria as Argentina secured a place in the Round of 32. Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland also starred on a dramatic day
Lionel Messi Makes World Cup History With Record-Breaking Brace as Argentina Advance
There is Lionel Messi, and then there is everyone else…
The Argentine icon etched his name even deeper into football history on a remarkable day at the FIFA World Cup, breaking yet another record as defending champions Argentina booked their place in the Round of 32 with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Austria.
Having already surpassed legendary marksmen Just Fontaine, Gerd Muller and Ronaldo in recent days, Messi entered the match level with Miroslav Klose on 16 World Cup goals. By the final whistle, that record belonged to him alone. Despite missing an early penalty, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner responded in trademark fashion, scoring both goals to move onto 18 World Cup strikes and become the tournament’s outright all-time leading scorer.
The brace also underlined Messi’s extraordinary influence on this Argentina side. He has now scored all five of the Albiceleste’s goals at the tournament, while the reigning world champions remain yet to concede a single goal. The victory ensured qualification with a game to spare ahead of their final group-stage clash against Jordan on Saturday.
It was a landmark day not only for Messi but also for some of football’s biggest stars. France forward Kylian Mbappe continued his relentless pursuit of history by netting twice to move level in second place on the World Cup scoring chart. With both players still active in the competition, the battle for supremacy could continue all the way to a potential showdown in New York New Jersey on July 19.
Norway striker Erling Haaland also strengthened his credentials in the race for the adidas Golden Boot. The prolific forward scored his second consecutive brace as Norway edged Senegal 3-2 in a thrilling contest, joining Argentina and France among the nations that have already secured progression to the Round of 32.
Elsewhere, Jordan’s dream start against Algeria ultimately ended in disappointment. After impressing in their World Cup debut last week, the West Asian side took a surprise lead in San Francisco when a mis-hit effort from Mousa Al Tamari fell kindly for midfielder Nizar Al Rashdan, who calmly swept home to hand Jordan a halftime advantage.
However, Algeria mounted a strong response after the break. Substitute Nadhir Benbouali levelled the contest with a header from a corner before Amine Gouiri bundled home from close range following another set-piece to complete a 2-1 comeback victory. The result keeps Algeria’s qualification hopes alive, while Jordan’s World Cup campaign comes to an end.
For Argentina, though, the story belonged to one man. Messi arrived at the tournament already regarded as one of the greatest players to ever grace the game. He now stands alone as the FIFA World Cup’s greatest goalscorer, adding yet another extraordinary chapter to a career that continues to redefine football greatness.
