Argentina player, Lionel Messi celebrating his goal
Lionel Messi has reached yet another landmark in his illustrious career, becoming the outright leading scorer in FIFA World Cup history after netting twice in Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Austria in their Group J clash on Monday.
The brace took Messi’s World Cup tally to 18 goals, moving him clear of Germany’s Miroslav Klose and setting a new record on football’s biggest stage.
Argentina had to work hard for the win against a disciplined Austrian side. The Europeans were compact, energetic and quick to close down spaces, particularly in midfield and around their penalty area. For long periods of the first half, Argentina dominated possession but struggled to find a way through.
Messi himself endured an early setback when he missed a penalty, dragging his effort wide. The miss briefly shifted momentum in Austria’s favour and forced Argentina to regroup.
The defending champions responded with patience and persistence. Just before the break, Messi made amends for his earlier miss, finishing off a flowing team move to break the deadlock and give Argentina a 1-0 lead heading into half-time.
Austria remained organised after the interval and continued to frustrate Argentina, relying mainly on counter-attacks and set pieces for their attacking threat. However, they found it difficult to create clear-cut opportunities against the South American side.
Messi eventually put the contest beyond doubt in the second half, scoring his second goal of the match to seal a hard-fought 2-0 victory for Argentina.
The result not only secured another important win for the reigning world champions but also saw Messi write another chapter in football history, becoming the first player to score 18 goals in FIFA World Cup competition and establishing himself as the tournament’s all-time leading scorer.
