Messi at 38, Still Unstoppable — Argentina Beat Austria 2-0 But the Reliance Problem Won’t Go Away

By Sportsoya | June 23, 2026

Lionel Messi became the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer on Sunday night in Dallas. Then, just to make sure everyone got the message, he scored another one.

Two goals. A record broken. A place in the Last 32 secured. Argentina are through and Messi is, impossibly, still the best player on the pitch at 38 years old.

But beneath the brilliance, a question is growing louder with every passing game what does Argentina do when Messi is not available to bail them out?

How It Unfolded

Argentina were awarded a penalty inside the first eight minutes when Lautaro Martinez was brought down by Stefan Posch. Messi stepped up needing just one goal to break Miroslav Klose’s all-time World Cup scoring record of 16 goals.

He dragged it wide.

It was a moment that would have defined lesser players. For Messi it was a minor inconvenience. Thirty-eight minutes in, the record was his anyway Facundo Medina drove forward from left back, cut the ball back across the box and Messi swept it home with the casual certainty of a man who has done this a thousand times before.

Austria pushed hard after the break without ever genuinely threatening Emiliano Martinez in the Argentina goal. And then, almost with the last kick of the game, Messi struck again picking up the pieces after Julian Alvarez was put through on goal, firing home at the second attempt to make it 10 goals in his last six World Cup matches across two tournaments.

Argentina 2-0 Austria. Job done. Record broken. On to the Last 32.

Messi — The Record, The Genius, The Problem

There is no adequate way to describe what Lionel Messi is doing at this World Cup at the age of 38. Two days before his 39th birthday he remains not just Argentina’s best player but arguably the best player at the entire tournament.

The record he broke on Sunday night surpassing Klose’s 16 World Cup goals is one that many assumed would never be beaten. Klose took four tournaments to reach it. Messi has done it across five, carrying a nation’s hopes on his back every single time.

But the reliance problem is real and it will not go away by pretending it doesn’t exist.

When Messi missed his penalty it felt like the air went out of the stadium. When he scored it flooded back in. Argentina’s emotional dependency on one man a man approaching 39 years old is both their greatest strength and their most significant vulnerability heading into the knockout rounds.

Lautaro Martinez ran hard and won the penalty but never got another clear sight of goal. Julian Alvarez, nursing an ankle injury, missed a gilt-edged chance late on before Messi cleaned up. If Argentina need someone other than their captain to score in a knockout game, who is it going to be?

The Standout Performers

Thiago Almada — 7/10 The Atletico Madrid man’s dummy for Messi’s first goal was a moment of pure genius selling the entire Austrian defence with one movement and opening up the space for the cut-back. Ran himself into the ground before being replaced. One of Argentina’s most underrated performers.

Facundo Medina — 7/10 Outstanding from left back. Defended ferociously, popped up with the assist for the winning goal and was wisely taken off late on while on a booking. A complete full back performance.

Alexis Mac Allister — 7/10 Quietly excellent at the base of midfield. Protected the back four, moved the ball forward efficiently and was one of Argentina’s most consistent performers across the 90 minutes.

Lisandro Martinez — 7/10 The Manchester United centre back didn’t put a foot wrong all evening, dealing comfortably with Austria’s physical forwards and organising the defence with authority.

The Concern — Romero’s Injury

The one genuine worry from an otherwise comfortable evening was the early departure of Cristian Romero. The Spurs defender had been having a solid game before being caught late early in the second half and forced off with a knock.

Argentina’s defensive unit has been one of their strengths at this tournament. Losing Romero for any significant period of time would be a blow Lionel Scaloni cannot afford as the knockout rounds approach.

What This Means Going Forward

Argentina are through to the Last 32 with a game to spare, sitting three points clear at the top of Group J. As we have seen elsewhere at this World Cup 2026 from Morocco’s teenage midfield masterclass against Brazil to Ivory Coast pushing Germany to the limit the knockout rounds will bring a different level of intensity entirely.

Against Jordan in their final group game Scaloni may be tempted to rest Messi entirely both to manage his minutes and to see whether anyone else in this squad is capable of taking responsibility when their captain is not available.

It is a test Argentina need to pass at some point. Better to find out now than in a quarterfinal.

For now though the record is broken, the qualification is secured and Messi impossibly, brilliantly keeps rewriting the history books.

At 38 years old. On a Sunday night in Dallas. Just because he can.

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