Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, will face Austria in a Group J match at Dallas Stadium in Arlington on Monday. Messi is one goal away from breaking the all-time men’s World Cup scoring record.
Argentina’s Road to the Match
Argentina comes into the match after a dominant 3-0 win over Algeria in Kansas City, powered by a Messi hat trick. The 38-year-old captain delivered a masterclass, scoring three goals that not only secured a statement victory for the defending champions but also tied him with Miroslav Klose’s all-time men’s World Cup scoring record of 16 goals.
Austria arrives in Texas off its own impressive start, a 3-1 win over World Cup debutant Jordan that delivered the country’s first World Cup victory in over 30 years. Coach Ralf Rangnick has steadily rebuilt the team since 2022, and it showed against Jordan.
Match Preview
Monday’s match is a test of how far Austria can go this summer – the country hasn’t gotten out of the group stage since 1982. For Argentina, the stakes are even bigger: a win in Arlington would put Messi’s side in firm control of Group J, with Jordan still to come, and keep them on track to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to defend a World Cup title.
Original reporting: The Dallas Express — read the source article.
