Messi one goal from outright World Cup scoring record

Lionel Messi needs one goal against Austria on Monday to break Miroslav Klose’s all-time World Cup record of 16 goals, set in 2014.aljazeera
Both teams sit on three points in Group J after opening wins, with a victory in Dallas set to put either side on track for the round of 32.foxsports
Austria captain David Alaba praised Messi but said his team will be fully prepared: “If we play our football as a team, we can beat anyone.”footballworldcup

Messi Eyes Outright World Cup Scoring Record as Argentina Face Austria

Lionel Messi stands one goal away from becoming the all-time leading scorer in FIFA World Cup history when Argentina take on Austria in their second Group J match at AT&T Stadium in Dallas on Monday. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET.intermiamicf

Messi’s hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-0 opening victory over Algeria on June 16 drew him level with Germany’s Miroslav Klose on 16 World Cup goals, a record that has stood since 2014. Any goal against Austria would make the 38-year-old the outright record holder in men’s World Cup history.aljazeera

A Record Within Reach

Klose himself has given his blessing to Messi surpassing the mark. “I always knew the record would eventually be broken,” the former Bayern Munich striker said after the Algeria match, expressing his support for Messi to be the one to do it.bavarianfootballworks

Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni is expected to name Messi in his starting lineup, with a predicted formation featuring Emiliano Martínez in goal, a back four of Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martínez, and Facundo Medina, and a midfield trio of Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, and Enzo Fernández.standard

Austria Braced for the Challenge

Austria, making their first World Cup appearance since 1998, enter the match with confidence after beating Jordan in their own opener — their first World Cup win since 1990. Captain David Alaba, playing in his first World Cup, acknowledged the scale of the task ahead.footballworldcup

“It’s absolutely incredible what Messi is capable of. It’s really special to see him get up and running like that, with a hat-trick, at a tournament like this,” Alaba told FIFA. “Thank goodness he did it today and — let’s hope — not next week.”straitstimes

Alaba stressed that his team’s preparation extends beyond containing one player. “We know what kind of opponent we’re up against, what kind of quality they have in their ranks, even besides Messi, but also what they’re capable of as a team,” he said.mid-day

Group J Stakes

Both teams sit on three points after their opening wins, meaning the victor in Dallas would take a commanding position to top Group J and secure passage to the round of 32. Austria midfielder Konrad Laimer struck a defiant note ahead of the clash: “Messi is the best in the world. But if we play our football as a team, we can beat anyone.”foxsports