Argentina coach summed up his thoughts about his captain in one single sentence: “I have no more words to talk about Leo,” Scaloni said.

Messi, on the other hand, was more enthused by the team winning than all of those personal records.

“Beyond anything I’m so happy for the win,” Messi said after the game. “It was huge, tough and difficult. It would allow us to be relaxed about what lies ahead. All matches in this World Cup are very even, very intense. I’m enjoying this moment and craving to enjoy it with my teammates.”

Argentina’s Lionel Messi, left, celebrates with Leandro Paredes after scoring his side’s second goal during the World Cup Group J soccer match between Argentina and Austria in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, Monday, June 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Messi admitted later that he was miffed at himself for missing the penalty in the opening phase of the game.

“There were moments when I was really angry about missing the penalty, but I was able to make up for it,” said Messi.

Argentina advanced to the knockout round by winning its first two group games.

Incredibly, Messi’s tryst with history came on the same date that 40 years earlier Diego Maradona had scripted global headlines with an unforgettable performance against England at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. It was on June 22, 40 years ago that Maradona scored two of his most famous World Cup goals in Argentina’s 2-1 quarter-final victory over England. This included the infamous Hand of God goal and the one known as the Goal of the Century. 40 years since that historic day, Messi has made history as the World Cup’s top goalscorer.

Mbappe stays on Messi’s heels

Despite a weather-enforced delay of 130 minutes between the first and the second halves of France’s group stage clash with Iraq, Kylian Mbappe ensured that the team secured an easy victory with two goals. Then Ousmane Dembele added a third as France claimed a 3-0 win over Iraq.

Thanks to inclement weather and thunderstorms in Philadelphia, the game’s second half started over two hours after originally scheduled. Mbappe scored one goal apiece in each half to stay on the heels of Messi in the World Cup’s top goalscorers’ charts.

But it did little to deter Mbappe from scoring twice, including a first half scorcher from outside the box that flew into goal. Thanks to his brace on Monday, Mbappe now has 16 World Cup goals, just two behind Messi’s record of 18.

This was the sixth World Cup brace for Mbappe. Mbappe has now scored 12 goals in the last 12 games for France.

Norway defeat Senegal

On a day Messi and Mbappe scored two goals each, how could Erling Haaland be left behind? The Manchester City striker also smashed two goals for Norway in a narrow 3-2 victory over Senegal. Thanks to the brace, just like Argentina and France, Norway also confirmed their passage to the Round of 32.

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Haaland nearly scored a third goal against Senegal in first-half stoppage time, when his shot hit the post after keeper Mendy lost control of the ball.

Haaland now has 24 goals in his last 12 international games — scoring at least once in every match — and 59 goals in 52 international appearances. He is second in the Golden Boot race, one behind Argentina’s Messi and tied with France’s Mbappé.