Lionel Messi became the most prolific scorer in World Cup history on Monday night, then summed up the occasion with the kind of deadpan brevity only he can get away with: “I’m very tired.”
The 38-year-old missed a penalty, scored twice and stretched his World Cup scoring run to six successive matches as Argentina beat Austria 2-0 in Arlington, Texas, to seal their place in the knockout stage with a game to spare.
Asked to pick his favourite goal and describe the feeling of breaking the record, Messi was characteristically understated. “I’m very happy with the win,” he said. “It was a hugely important victory, a tough one, and one we worked hard for. It gives us calm for what’s coming. We’re delighted to have qualified”
His first goal, a first-time left-footed finish from Facundo Medina’s low cross after Thiago Almada’s clever dummy, moved him level with Brazilian great Marta on 17 World Cup goals across both the men’s and women’s tournaments. His stoppage-time second, bundled home after goalkeeper Alexander Schlager parried Julian Alvarez’s effort into his path, took him to 18, a mark that now stands alone in the history of the game.
The night could have been more comfortable had Messi converted from the spot in the ninth minute, his weak, slow effort dragging wide to the disbelief of a fiercely pro-Argentina crowd of 70,649 at the air-conditioned home of the Dallas Cowboys. It was his third missed penalty at a World Cup, the most by any player in the tournament’s history.
He was measured about the miss. “The truth is that the way it turned out today was spectacular,” he said. “I had the penalty that could have increased the lead, but I’m happy with the result and with the team’s work.”
Austria, who beat debutants Jordan 3-1 in their opener, were content to sit deep and rarely threatened. Ralf Rangnick’s side did not muster a shot on target in the first half, though they improved after the break, with Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez only once seriously troubled.
Argentina have six points from two Group J matches. They will face the Group H runner-up in Miami on 3 July if they finish top of the group, a scenario that will be confirmed if Jordan fail to beat Algeria. Austria, second in the group, face Algeria in a decisive final fixture.
