Lionel Messi Eyes World Cup Scoring Record as Argentina Face Austria
Argentina will take on Austria in a key FIFA World Cup 2026 Group J clash at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Both teams began their campaigns with victories. Lionel Messi, who scored a hat trick in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria, has 16 World Cup goals and needs 1 more to surpass record.
For the defending champions Argentina, Monday's Group J clash against Austria at the 2026 FIFA World Cup carries both team and individual significance. Argentina began their title defense in style with a 3-0 victory over Algeria, thanks to a stunning hat trick from Lionel Messi. Austria also started strongly, defeating Jordan 3-1 to move level with Argentina on 3 points. The spotlight will once again be on Messi, who has scored 16 World Cup goals and is just 1 strike away from surpassing Miroslav Klose's record of 16 to become the tournament's outright leading scorer.
The Argentine captain enters the match in excellent form and remains the team's biggest attacking threat. Argentina, ranked No. 1 in the world, are expected to line up with stars such as Lautaro Martínez, Julián Álvarez, Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, and Emiliano Martínez. Austria will rely on experienced forward Marko Arnautović, who helped his side secure victory over Jordan.
The match will be played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Betting markets strongly favor Argentina, with most bookmakers giving them around a 65 percent chance of victory. Analysts expect a competitive contest, but Argentina's superior quality and experience make them favorites to secure another win and move closer to the knockout stage, while Messi has the opportunity to create World Cup history.