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

Argentina moved to the brink of a spot successful the past 32 of World Cup 2026 with a 2-0 triumph implicit Austria successful Group J astatine Arlington connected Monday, arsenic Lionel Messi produced different decisive and historical performance.

The 10-time Ballon d'Or victor missed a first-half punishment but recovered to nett doubly and scope 18 World Cup goals successful total, moving 2 wide of Miroslav Klose's long-standing grounds to basal unsocial arsenic the competition's all-time starring scorer. Messi present has 5 goals from 2 radical signifier appearances astatine this tournament.

With the win, Lionel Scaloni's broadside determination to six points and could corroborate their spot successful the knockout rounds earlier they adjacent footwear a ball, should Jordan neglect to bushed Algeria successful Tuesday's 00:00 kick-off (Brasilia time).

Here, Sports Mole delivers its subordinate ratings from Argentina's 2nd Group J fixture against Austria.

Argentina subordinate ratings vs. Austria — World Cup 2026

GOALKEEPER

Emiliano Martinez — 7/10
Largely untroubled for ample stretches of the archetypal fractional arsenic Austria's unit remained constricted successful quality, the Argentina fig 1 was a composed beingness throughout. Called upon much often successful the 2nd half, helium produced the cardinal involution required to support the cleanable expanse intact.

DEFENDERS

Nahuel Molina — 4/10
The right-back endured an inconsistent evening connected his World Cup 2026 debut aft sitting retired the opener against Algeria. He struggled to enforce himself successful the archetypal half, giving the shot distant connected a fig of occasions astatine important moments and failing to marque the interaction Scaloni would person hoped for.

Lisandro Martinez — 6/10
Starting for the 2nd consecutive lucifer successful this tournament, the cardinal defender was reliable and well-positioned throughout. He dealt comfortably with Austria's attacking forays and contributed positively to a cleanable expanse that keeps Argentina's momentum firmly intact.

Cristian Romero — 6/10
A composed and commanding show from the antiaircraft leader, who did good to neutralise Austria's champion attacking moments. The interest was his aboriginal departure astatine the commencement of the 2nd fractional aft picking up a knock, with Nicolas Otamendi called upon to regenerate him.

Facundo Medina — 6/10
Deputising efficaciously for Nicolas Tagliafico astatine left-back, Medina showed property and assurance throughout. His antiaircraft duties were handled competently, and helium played a important relation successful the build-up to Argentina's opening goal, uncovering Thiago Almada connected the borderline of the midfield 3rd earlier the determination culminated successful Messi's finish.

MIDFIELDERS

Enzo Fernandez — 6/10
Consistent and composed successful cardinal midfield, Fernandez erstwhile again fulfilled the influential relation helium has made his ain since the 2022 World Cup campaign. He controlled the bushed of the crippled with authorization and contributed to Argentina's dominance of the cardinal areas.

Alexis Mac Allister — 6/10
Mac Allister's first-half show was peculiarly impressive, arsenic helium organised Argentina's play with composure and distributed the shot cleanly crossed the midfield. His beingness provided the structural instauration that allowed the much originative players up of him to run with freedom.

Rodrigo De Paul — 5/10
De Paul was progressive successful the build-up play and attempted to make openings done deliveries into the box. He recovered the going pugnacious astatine times against Austria's pressing, but did not fto the broadside down, and his publication to the wide midfield equilibrium was capable if unspectacular.

Thiago Almada — 7/10
The Atletico Madrid midfielder was 1 of the standout performers crossed some of Argentina's radical signifier matches to date. His assistance for Messi's opener was the cardinal infinitesimal — the dummy that dismantled the Austrian defence created the abstraction that allowed Argentina's skipper to side-foot home. Almada besides maintained his antiaircraft subject passim and was a consistently affirmative presence.

FORWARDS

Lionel Messi — 9/10
Once again, the Argentina skipper was the difference. His hat-trick against Algeria successful the opener already had the tourney talking; here, contempt missing a first-half punishment that rolled wide of the right-hand station aft Schlager dived the close way, helium refused to fto the setback impact his performance. He converted Almada's assistance clinically to unfastened the scoring, and successful the closing stages latched onto a escaped shot wrong the container to curl location with his near ft and enactment the effect beyond doubt.

The show was not flawless — Messi wasted the punishment and passed up astatine slightest 1 further opening that could person extended the pb — but helium present stands unsocial arsenic the World Cup's all-time apical scorer with 18 goals, surpassing Klose's record, and determination remains each imaginable of that tally increasing further arsenic the tourney progresses.

Lautaro Martinez — 6/10
The Inter Milan striker was a persistent and combative beingness throughout, winning the punishment successful the archetypal fractional from which Messi mightiness person doubled his idiosyncratic tally. He continued to unsettle the Austrian defence adjacent aft that accidental went begging, provided a reliable focal constituent done which Argentina could build, and worked diligently crossed the afloat 90 minutes.

SUBSTITUTES

Nicolas Otamendi — 5/10
Brought connected to regenerate Romero aboriginal successful the 2nd half, the River Plate defender made his archetypal quality of this World Cup. He was not severely tested but performed his relation competently and helped Argentina support their antiaircraft signifier done to the last whistle.

Julian Alvarez — 6/10
Still returning from an ankle problem, the guardant came disconnected the seat successful the 2nd fractional and showed fewer sick effects. He contributed to Argentina's crippled absorption successful the closing stages, and his archetypal effort connected extremity — blocked by Schlager — played a nonstop relation successful the counter-attack that led to Messi's second. A coagulated cameo.

Nico Gonzalez — 5/10
Introduced precocious connected to reenforce Argentina's near flank, Gonzalez had constricted attacking engagement but fulfilled his tactical little and helped the broadside support their lead. He did make 1 precocious opening that went unconverted but remained disciplined throughout.

Leandro Paredes — 6/10
The Boca Juniors midfielder came connected successful the closing minutes and helped Argentina negociate the crippled competently, contempt picking up a yellowish paper pursuing a robust midfield challenge. He was progressive successful the transition of play that produced Messi's 2nd goal.

Nicolas Tagliafico — No rating
The left-back made his archetypal quality of the tourney aft recovering from a caller injury, replacing Medina precocious successful the game. He was not earnestly tested and had excessively fewer minutes to merit an idiosyncratic assessment.

Austria subordinate ratings vs. Argentina — World Cup 2026

David Alaba — 5/10
Alaba produced a reliable first-half show and was important successful limiting the harm during a play erstwhile Argentina were threatening to tally distant with the contest. His decisive involution to contradict Messi what would person been a 3rd extremity was a notable contribution.

Alexander Schlager — 6/10
The Austria goalkeeper was 1 of the much awesome performers connected the nighttime and kept the scoreline from becoming acold much emphatic. His reflexes and positioning produced a bid of important stops, and portion helium dived the close mode to expect Messi's penalty, the shot evaded him lone due to the fact that the decorativeness was disconnected target. He gave Austria each chance.

Marcel Sabitzer — 7/10
Arguably Austria's astir unsafe subordinate throughout, the Borussia Dortmund midfielder was progressive successful the clearest opportunities the Wunderteam created and consistently posed a threat, whether successful unfastened play oregon from set-piece positions. He was the 1 subordinate susceptible of causing Argentina genuine interest successful the last third.