Lionel Messi shines again as Argentina beat Austria
Lionel Messi scored two goals to lead Argentina to a 2-0 victory over Austria in Dallas, reinforcing his status as a key player for the team in the ongoing World Cup. With this performance, he has now netted five goals in just two matches during the tournament, reports BritPanorama.
Messi had previously secured a hat-trick in Argentina’s opening game against Algeria, making him the World Cup’s all-time leading goalscorer, surpassing Miroslav Klose. While there were expectations that this summer would mark the end of Messi’s illustrious international career, Spanish football expert Guillem Balague suggests that the 38-year-old forward may still compete in the 2030 World Cup.
“He is enjoying it and this is the best thing. I have seen him play World Cups where he couldn’t last 90 minutes,” Balague noted while analysing Argentina’s performance on BBC Radio 5 Live. “Here at the end, he was running like anyone else; now he knows his body so well.” According to Balague, Messi demonstrates an ability to outsmart defenders through intelligence rather than relying on physical speed.
Messi’s opening goal came after an initial penalty miss, capitalizing on a left-footed finish, followed by a second goal after following up Julian Alvarez’s saved effort. His performance drew praise from former Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta, who characterized Messi’s achievement as “memorable moment, breaking the record.” Olivier Giroud, a former France striker, shared similar sentiments, noting Messi’s ever-improving performance as he continues to find the net effectively.
After winning both of their Group J matches, Argentina, under the management of Lionel Scaloni, appears poised to challenge for back-to-back World Cup victories, with their next match against Jordan on Sunday. With Messi in this form, it seems a formidable task awaits any opponents that cross their path.
