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The Economic Times
The Economic Times

Argentina vs Austria FIFA World Cup: Lionel Messi's world record sends defending champions into football knockouts

Lionel Messi scored twice as Argentina beat Austria 2-0 in their Group J clash at the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Monday, securing the defending champions a place in the knockout stage.

Messi's brace also saw him rewrite the record books. The Argentine captain became the all-time leading goalscorer in men's FIFA World Cup history, surpassing Germany's Miroslav Klose. His opener took him past Klose's tally of 16 goals, while his second of the night extended his World Cup total to 18. The star player has now scored in six consecutive World Cup matches, equalling the record jointly held by France's Just Fontaine and Brazil's Jairzinho.

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