The winger was once viewed as one of the brightest young talents in the national team setup, but his journey toward the tournament took an unexpected turn.

The result could completely reshape the Group J picture, but the biggest question is how each possible outcome changes Argentina’s path toward the knockout rounds.

Argentina managed to defeat Austria in a closely contested match. Thanks to Lionel Messi's record-breaking two goals, they secured a 2-0 victory, earning a spot in the Round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup.

What is Argentina's current FIFA World Ranking for the 2026 World Cup? See where the world champions stand ahead of their Group J match against Austria.

After securing a crucial victory in their 2026 World Cup debut, Argentina face Austria, aiming for another win to move to the top of Group J. Following his emphatic hat-trick, all eyes are on Lionel Messi, who could once again prove to be the difference-maker.

Argentina will face off against Austria in Matchday 2 of the FIFA World Cup group stage. Here’s everything you need to know to watch this highly anticipated clash live in the United States.

According to Brazil legend Roberto Carlos, Argentina sits ahead of Brazil in the 2026 World Cup due to Lionel Messi's status as reference point for the team.

Algeria have reportedly filed a formal complaint with FIFA, demanding a retrospective red card for Lionel Messi during Argentina’s opening match victory.

Lionel Messi kicked off his 2026 World Cup campaign with a spectacular hat trick in Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria, earning top honors as Matchday 1 officially wrapped up.

Despite Lionel Messi's masterclass against Algeria, Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has reportedly decided to change the starting lineup against Austria.

Thierry Henry commented on the play that some think Lionel Messi deserved to be sent off in his World Cup debut.

Lionel Messi shared some insights on why he teared up after his first goal against Algeria in the World Cup: "It had nothing to do with football, I went through difficult days."

Lionel Scaloni lauded the masterclass performance of Lionel Messi after the captain netted a sensational hat-trick in Argentina's dominant 3-0 victory over Algeria to launch their 2026 World Cup campaign.

Lionel Messi found the back of the net for Argentina against Algeria, establishing a standalone record by scoring against 11 different nations in World Cup history.

With a stunning strike, Lionel Messi opened the score for Argentina against Algeria in the 2026 World Cup.