Argentina captain Lionel Messi is close to achieving two major FIFA World Cup records as his team prepares to face Austria in the 2026 tournament.
The Inter Miami forward enters the match after delivering a remarkable performance in Argentina’s opening game, where he scored a hat-trick against Algeria.
The goals moved Messi closer to another milestone in football’s biggest competition.
Argentine star eyes scoring record
Messi’s three-goal performance against Algeria saw him equal Germany legend Miroslav Klose’s record for the most World Cup goals.
The 38-year-old now has the opportunity to move ahead of Klose and become the outright record holder if he scores against Austria.
The achievement would add another historic record to an already remarkable career.
Messi chasing assist milestone
Apart from the goalscoring record, Messi is also close to breaking the World Cup assist record.
The Argentina captain needs just one more assist to become the player with the most assists in the tournament’s history.
A strong performance against Austria could see Messi create another chapter in his World Cup legacy.