Messi Makes More History as Argentina Star Takes World Cup Scoring Crown

Lionel Messi added another remarkable achievement to his legendary career on Monday, becoming the FIFA World Cup’s all-time leading scorer while helping Argentina secure a 2-0 victory over Austria and a place in the knockout stage of the tournament.

Messi scored both goals in the Group J matchup, bringing his World Cup total to 18 goals and surpassing the previous men’s record held by Germany’s Miroslav Klose.

The milestone came just days after Messi recorded a hat trick in Argentina’s opening 3-0 victory over Algeria. Entering Monday’s match tied with Klose on 16 goals, the 38-year-old broke the record in the 38th minute before adding another in stoppage time to seal the victory.

Messi now has five goals in the tournament and has scored in six consecutive World Cup matches dating back to Qatar 2022.

Argentina Continues Strong Title Defense

Argentina’s win over Austria moved the defending champions to six points through two matches and guaranteed a place in the Round of 32. While Austria enjoyed stretches of possession, Argentina created the better scoring opportunities throughout the contest.

Messi’s first goal came after a well-worked attacking move involving Thiago Almada, while his second arrived after Julian Alvarez helped spark a late counterattack. The Argentine defense also turned in a solid performance, recording its second clean sheet of the tournament.

Argentina now heads into its final group-stage match against Jordan with first place in Group J nearly secured and momentum continuing to build behind Messi’s historic tournament.

Golden Boot Race Tightens

Messi’s brace also moved him to the top of the World Cup Golden Boot standings. With knockout rounds approaching, the race remains highly competitive among several of the sport’s biggest stars.

Current Golden Boot Favorites

• Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 5 goals
• Kylian Mbappé (France) – 4 goals
• Erling Haaland (Norway) – 4 goals
• Harry Kane (England) – among tournament leaders
• Vinicius Jr. (Brazil) – among top contenders
• Julián Alvarez (Argentina) – climbing the standings after another strong performance

Messi has moved into the role of betting favorite at many sportsbooks following his record-setting performance and Argentina’s strong start. Mbappé and Haaland remain close behind as group play enters its final week.

Other World Cup Results From Monday

Several other matches rounded out the day’s action:

• France 3, Iraq 0
  • France secured another convincing victory and remained one of the tournament favorites.
  • Kylian Mbappé continued his strong scoring form.
• Norway 3, Senegal 2
  • Norway earned a key victory behind another productive outing from Erling Haaland.
  • The result boosted Norway’s hopes of advancing from Group I.
• Algeria 2, Jordan 1
  • Algeria kept its knockout-stage hopes alive with a dramatic win.
  • Jordan now faces a difficult path to advancement.

Matches to Watch Today

Group K and Group L take center stage on Tuesday with four important matches scheduled:

Portugal vs. Uzbekistan

• Date: Tuesday, June 23
• Time: 1p.m. ET
• Location: NRG Stadium
• TV: FOX, Telemundo; streaming on Peacock and Fubo
• Betting Odds: Portugal -400 to -437, Draw +550, Uzbekistan +1000
• Storyline: Portugal looks to rebound after a surprising 1-1 draw with DR Congo, while Uzbekistan seeks its first World Cup point after falling to Colombia. Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes remain the key players to watch.

England vs. Ghana

• Date: Tuesday, June 23
• Time: 4 p.m. ET
• Location: Gillette Stadium
• TV: FOX, Telemundo, Fubo
• Betting Odds: England -310, Draw +450, Ghana +800
• Storyline: Both teams opened with victories. England beat Croatia 4-2 behind Harry Kane’s two goals, while Ghana edged Panama 1-0. A win would likely secure a knockout-stage berth.

Panama vs. Croatia

• Date: Tuesday, June 23
• Time: 7 p.m. ET
• Location: BMO Field
• TV: FOX, Telemundo, Fubo
• Betting Outlook: Croatia enters as a significant favorite after facing a much tougher opening opponent in England, while Panama is seeking its first points of the tournament.
• Storyline: Croatia needs a win after its 4-2 loss to England. Panama dropped a narrow 1-0 decision to Ghana and faces a must-win situation to stay in contention.

Colombia vs. DR Congo

• Date: Tuesday, June 23
• Time: 10 p.m. ET
• Location: Estadio Akron
• TV: FOX, Telemundo, Fubo
• Betting Outlook: Colombia is favored after opening group play with a win over Uzbekistan, while DR Congo impressed in a draw against Portugal.
• Storyline: Luis Díaz and Colombia can move closer to the knockout round with another victory. DR Congo will look to build on its disciplined defensive performance against Portugal.

England enters as one of the day’s biggest favorites, while Portugal and Colombia can strengthen their positions atop Group K with victories. The results could have major implications for knockout-round seeding and qualification scenarios.

As the tournament moves closer to the knockout phase, the spotlight remains firmly on Messi. Already a World Cup champion and widely considered one of the greatest players in soccer history, he now owns another record that may stand for years to come. Argentina’s title defense is off to a perfect start, and their captain continues to provide the defining moments of Cup plau.