Argentina secured a 2-0 victory over Austria on June 22, 2026, in their second Group J match of the FIFA World Cup at Dallas Stadium in Dallas, Texas [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. Lionel Messi scored both goals for Argentina, netting once in the 38th minute and again in stoppage time, bringing his World Cup career total to 18 goals and making him the tournament’s all-time top scorer [1, 3, 5, 6]. The match coincided with the 40th anniversary of Diego Maradona’s legendary "Hand of God" and "Goal of the Century" against England in the 1986 quarter-finals, a date remembered by Argentina players and fans alike [7, 8].

Before facing Austria, Argentina began the group stage with a 3-0 win over Algeria, where Messi scored a hat-trick, while Austria beat Jordan 3-1 in their opener [1, 2, 9, 4, 6]. Both teams entered the match with 3 points from their respective wins [2, 4]. Austria's squad included defender Stefan Posch, who wore a protective facial mask due to a recent injury [2, 4].

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni commented on the challenge of adapting to new hydration breaks introduced in the tournament to handle heat, calling it "weird to adapt to that" but expecting it to become normal [10, 11]. He also noted Austria’s qualities, describing them as "a great team, high pressure, a vertical team," making the match complicated [11].

Austria coach Ralf Rangnick praised Messi’s performance and Argentina’s strengths, saying, "Let's talk about the weaknesses: there are none... they are outstanding... If someone is 39 years old and can score two goals and five overall at the beginning of the World Cup, that makes a difference" [2, 3]. Rangnick questioned the legitimacy of Argentina’s first goal, alleging a foul on Austrian midfielder Xaver Schlager that was not penalized by the referees [3, 5]. However, no official rulings overturned the goal, and Argentina’s victory and goals stood without dispute from their side [1, 9, 6].

Austria captain David Alaba described Messi’s start to the tournament as "incredible" and "absolutely insane," hoping he does not repeat it next week [1].

Argentina will next continue their campaign to advance from Group J after completing their second match. The next scheduled matches are set to further define the group standings as the tournament progresses.