Argentina Qualifies for 2026 World Cup Round of 32, Messi Breaks Goal Record

DALLAS, Headline24.id – Argentina has qualified for the 2026 World Cup Round of 32 after securing a 2-0 victory over Austria in their second Group J match held at the Arlington Stadium, Dallas, United States, on Tuesday (23/6/2026) WIB. The two winning goals for La Albiceleste were scored by Lionel Messi, who also set a new record in the history of the World Cup.

This victory gives Argentina six points from two matches, securing their ticket to the knockout stage earlier than expected. Meanwhile, Austria remains in second place in the temporary standings with three points.

Argentina Qualifies for 2026 World Cup Round of 32 After Defeating Austria

From the start of the match, both Argentina and Austria played aggressively. Both teams came into the game with wins from their opening matches, thus striving to secure full points to increase their chances of advancing to the next round.

Argentina had a golden opportunity less than 10 minutes into the game. Referee Mohamed Omar pointed to the penalty spot after Lautaro Martinez was deemed to have been fouled by an Austrian defender inside the penalty box.

Lionel Messi, who stepped up to take the penalty, failed to capitalize on the opportunity. His shot went wide of the right post of Austria's goal, leaving the score at 0-0.

Despite the penalty miss, Argentina continued to dominate the game. However, by the 30th minute, both teams struggled to create dangerous chances that truly threatened the opponent's goal.

Messi Scores Record Most Goals in World Cup History

The deadlock was finally broken in the 38th minute. Starting from a cross by Rodrigo De Paul, Thiago Almada let the ball go past him before Messi struck it with his left foot.

The goal gave Argentina a 1-0 lead and simultaneously saw Messi make new history as the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history with a tally of 17 goals.

The lead boosted Argentina's confidence. However, no further goals were scored before the end of the first half, and the 1-0 scoreline remained.

Entering the second half, Argentina regained control of the game through short passing combinations. Austria, relying on David Alaba and Marcel Sabitzer, continued to offer resistance with disciplined defense.

In the 54th minute, Austria had a chance from a free-kick by Sabitzer. However, the ball was saved by Emiliano Martinez.

Messi nearly doubled the lead in the 65th minute. However, his attempt was stopped by the Austrian goalkeeper, who had a solid performance throughout the match.

Argentina Secures Knockout Stage Ticket

As the match neared its end, Austria increased the intensity of their attacks in search of an equalizer. Nevertheless, Argentina's defense managed to maintain their lead until the added time.

As the match was about to conclude, Messi once again showed his quality. Through a quick counter-attack, he created a scramble in front of the Austrian goal.

His first shot was blocked, but the ball fell back to his feet. Messi then unleashed a second shot that successfully found the back of Austria's net in the 90+5th minute, changing the score to 2-0.

This goal also confirmed Argentina's qualification for the 2026 World Cup Round of 32 as one of the first teams to secure a knockout stage ticket from Group J. Shortly after the goal was scored, the referee blew the final whistle, signaling the end of the match.

With this result, Argentina has qualified for the 2026 World Cup Round of 32 with a perfect six points from two games. La Albiceleste also further solidifies its status as one of the strong contenders for the title in the tournament taking place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Match Results

Argentina 2-0 Austria

2026 World Cup – Group J
Arlington Stadium, Dallas, United States
Referee: Mohamed Omar (Egypt)

Goal Scorers:

• Lionel Messi (38')

• Lionel Messi (90+5')