DALLAS: Lionel Messi became the highest scorer in World Cup history after scoring both goals in Argentina’s 2-0 Group J victory over Austria on Monday.
The brace also stretched Messi’s scoring run to six straight World Cup appearances.
The Argentine captain had already matched the record held by Brazilian legend Marta, whose 17 goals in the Women’s World Cup had stood as the overall benchmark. With his second goal, Messi moved ahead to establish a new record for combined men’s and women’s World Cup goals.
He also increased his tally for this tournament to five goals.
Messi finished off a well-worked Argentine attack in Dallas, initiating the move before finding space in the penalty area and calmly converting Facundo Medina’s low cross with a first-time strike into the bottom corner. He later added a second goal in stoppage time, reacting fastest inside the box to secure the win.
The Argentine star, who will celebrate his 39th birthday later this week, had earlier squandered a prime chance when he missed a penalty after Lautaro Martínez was brought down in the area.
His opening goal ignited celebrations among the large contingent of Argentina supporters in Dallas, with fans repeatedly chanting his name throughout the stadium.
Four decades after Diego Maradona’s famous World Cup performances, Argentina’s current No. 10 continues to strengthen his own legacy on football’s biggest stage.
The win guaranteed Argentina a place in the knockout rounds with one group match remaining. Following their opening 3-0 triumph over Algeria, Lionel Scaloni’s team has maintained a flawless start in its bid to retain the World Cup title.
(Inputs from Reuters)
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