Messi becomes World Cup’s all-time top scorer as Argentina advances

Lionel Messi turned a missed penalty into a record-breaking night in Dallas, scoring twice to lift Argentina past Austria 2-0 and into the round of 32. The result did more than secure qualification: it underlined how Argentina can absorb an early setback, stay composed and still win behind its defining star.

Messi first failed from the spot, then recovered to score twice and reach 18 World Cup goals, passing Miroslav Klose as the tournament’s all-time leading scorer. FIFA also marked another piece of history for the Argentina captain: he scored in a sixth straight World Cup match, a run matched only by Just Fontaine and Jairzinho. For Argentina, the numbers pointed to more than a single standout performance. They showed a side with enough attacking resilience to keep producing even when the first chance went begging.

The scene around the match reflected that significance. Argentina’s game was played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in front of a large contingent of Argentine supporters, and the record-setter’s night triggered celebrations as far away as Buenos Aires. Argentina’s passage into the knockout round gave the team a clean path forward, but the larger message was about depth and control under pressure, qualities that tend to separate contenders from pretenders once the tournament reaches the elimination rounds.

France sent a similar message in Philadelphia, where Kylian Mbappé scored twice in a 3-0 victory over Iraq to secure France’s place in the knockout stage. The match was interrupted at halftime by thunderstorms and heavy rain, forcing a delay of nearly two hours before play resumed. It was the first weather-related delay of that kind in the 2026 World Cup, and it quickly raised questions about safety procedures and the rules for suspending and restarting games in severe conditions.

Mbappé’s double also sharpened the individual race at the top of the World Cup scoring charts. He moved into a tie for second in career World Cup goals with 16, keeping France in the conversation not just as a deep team but as one with a striker capable of shaping the tournament’s title race. On a day defined by Messi’s history and Mbappé’s production, the bracket hierarchy became clearer: Argentina and France both looked like teams built to last.