Argentina knockout stage

Lionel Messi produced another magical display and nailed a few records, scoring a brace to help defending champions Argentina beat Austria 2-0 in a Group J match and advance to the knock-out stages of the FIFA World Cup 2026 at the Dallas Stadium in Dallas on Monday.

Messi made it to the record books by scoring his 17th and 18th goals in World Cups, setting the record for most individual goals in the history of the tournament. Two days before his 39th birthday, the Argentine talisman brushed aside missing a penalty early in the first half, to give his team the lead in the 38th minute and then doubled it seconds before the ned of the match to seal a memorable victory for the defending champions.