Argentina 2-0 Austria player ratings: Messi breaks all-time World Cup record

Argentina moved to the brink of a place in the last 32 of World Cup 2026 with a 2-0 victory over Austria in Group J at Arlington on Monday, as Lionel Messi produced another decisive and historic performance.

The 10-time Ballon d'Or winner missed a first-half penalty but recovered to net twice and reach 18 World Cup goals in total, moving two clear of Miroslav Klose's long-standing record to stand alone as the competition's all-time leading scorer. Messi now has five goals from two group stage appearances at this tournament.

With the win, Lionel Scaloni's side move to six points and could confirm their place in the knockout rounds before they next kick a ball, should Jordan fail to beat Algeria in Tuesday's 00:00 kick-off (Brasilia time).

Here, Sports Mole delivers its player ratings from Argentina's second Group J fixture against Austria.

Argentina player ratings vs. Austria — World Cup 2026

GOALKEEPER

Emiliano Martinez — 7/10
Largely untroubled for large stretches of the first half as Austria's pressure remained limited in quality, the Argentina number one was a composed presence throughout. Called upon more frequently in the second half, he produced the key intervention required to keep the clean sheet intact.

DEFENDERS

Nahuel Molina — 4/10
The right-back endured an inconsistent evening on his World Cup 2026 debut after sitting out the opener against Algeria. He struggled to impose himself in the first half, giving the ball away on a number of occasions at important moments and failing to make the impact Scaloni would have hoped for.

Lisandro Martinez — 6/10
Starting for the second consecutive match in this tournament, the central defender was reliable and well-positioned throughout. He dealt comfortably with Austria's attacking forays and contributed positively to a clean sheet that keeps Argentina's momentum firmly intact.

Cristian Romero — 6/10
A composed and commanding display from the defensive leader, who did well to neutralise Austria's best attacking moments. The concern was his early departure at the start of the second half after picking up a knock, with Nicolas Otamendi called upon to replace him.

Facundo Medina — 6/10
Deputising effectively for Nicolas Tagliafico at left-back, Medina showed personality and confidence throughout. His defensive duties were handled competently, and he played a significant role in the build-up to Argentina's opening goal, finding Thiago Almada on the edge of the midfield third before the move culminated in Messi's finish.

MIDFIELDERS

Enzo Fernandez — 6/10
Consistent and composed in central midfield, Fernandez once again fulfilled the influential role he has made his own since the 2022 World Cup campaign. He controlled the rhythm of the game with authority and contributed to Argentina's dominance of the central areas.

Alexis Mac Allister — 6/10
Mac Allister's first-half display was particularly impressive, as he organised Argentina's play with composure and distributed the ball cleanly across the midfield. His presence provided the structural foundation that allowed the more creative players ahead of him to operate with freedom.

Rodrigo De Paul — 5/10
De Paul was involved in the build-up play and attempted to create openings through deliveries into the box. He found the going tough at times against Austria's pressing, but did not let the side down, and his contribution to the overall midfield balance was adequate if unspectacular.

Thiago Almada — 7/10
The Atletico Madrid midfielder was one of the standout performers across both of Argentina's group stage matches to date. His assist for Messi's opener was the key moment — the dummy that dismantled the Austrian defence created the space that allowed Argentina's captain to side-foot home. Almada also maintained his defensive discipline throughout and was a consistently positive presence.

FORWARDS

Lionel Messi takes the honours as your @MichelobUltra Superior Player of the Match. ?

#FIFAWorldCup #SuperiorPOTM pic.twitter.com/Bv5jp7jNR6
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 22, 2026

Lionel Messi — 9/10
Once again, the Argentina captain was the difference. His hat-trick against Algeria in the opener already had the tournament talking; here, despite missing a first-half penalty that rolled wide of the right-hand post after Schlager dived the right way, he refused to let the setback affect his performance. He converted Almada's assist clinically to open the scoring, and in the closing stages latched onto a loose ball inside the box to curl home with his left foot and put the result beyond doubt.

The display was not flawless — Messi wasted the penalty and passed up at least one further opening that could have extended the lead — but he now stands alone as the World Cup's all-time top scorer with 18 goals, surpassing Klose's record, and there remains every prospect of that tally growing further as the tournament progresses.

Lautaro Martinez — 6/10
The Inter Milan striker was a persistent and combative presence throughout, winning the penalty in the first half from which Messi might have doubled his personal tally. He continued to unsettle the Austrian defence even after that chance went begging, provided a reliable focal point through which Argentina could build, and worked diligently across the full 90 minutes.

SUBSTITUTES

Nicolas Otamendi — 5/10
Brought on to replace Romero early in the second half, the River Plate defender made his first appearance of this World Cup. He was not severely tested but performed his role competently and helped Argentina maintain their defensive shape through to the final whistle.

Julian Alvarez — 6/10
Still returning from an ankle problem, the forward came off the bench in the second half and showed few ill effects. He contributed to Argentina's game management in the closing stages, and his initial effort on goal — blocked by Schlager — played a direct role in the counter-attack that led to Messi's second. A solid cameo.

Nico Gonzalez — 5/10
Introduced late on to reinforce Argentina's left flank, Gonzalez had limited attacking involvement but fulfilled his tactical brief and helped the side protect their lead. He did create one late opening that went unconverted but remained disciplined throughout.

Leandro Paredes — 6/10
The Boca Juniors midfielder came on in the closing minutes and helped Argentina manage the game competently, despite picking up a yellow card following a robust midfield challenge. He was involved in the passage of play that produced Messi's second goal.

Nicolas Tagliafico — No rating
The left-back made his first appearance of the tournament after recovering from a recent injury, replacing Medina late in the game. He was not seriously tested and had too few minutes to merit an individual assessment.

Austria player ratings vs. Argentina — World Cup 2026

David Alaba — 5/10
Alaba produced a reliable first-half display and was important in limiting the damage during a period when Argentina were threatening to run away with the contest. His decisive intervention to deny Messi what would have been a third goal was a notable contribution.

Alexander Schlager — 6/10
The Austria goalkeeper was one of the more impressive performers on the night and kept the scoreline from becoming far more emphatic. His reflexes and positioning produced a series of important stops, and while he dived the correct way to anticipate Messi's penalty, the ball evaded him only because the finish was off target. He gave Austria every chance.

Marcel Sabitzer — 7/10
Arguably Austria's most dangerous player throughout, the Borussia Dortmund midfielder was involved in the clearest opportunities the Wunderteam created and consistently posed a threat, whether in open play or from set-piece positions. He was the one player capable of causing Argentina genuine concern in the final third.