The 39-year-old forward scored in the 38th minute and again deep into stoppage time at Dallas stadium, taking his World Cup tally to 18 goals and surpassing German legend Miroslav Klose's previous record of 16.
Messi opened the scoring with a clinical finish after earlier missing a penalty, giving Argentina a crucial breakthrough before halftime. He sealed the victory in the 90+5th minute, finding the net on his second attempt to complete his brace.
The two goals not only ensured Argentina's second consecutive win in Group J but also cemented Messi's place at the top of the World Cup scoring charts.
Messi's record-breaking achievement is the culmination of a World Cup journey that has spanned two decades.
He scored his first World Cup goal at the age of 18 years and 157 days against Serbia during the 2006 tournament. Four years later in South Africa, he struggled to leave a significant mark on the competition.
The Argentine star returned strongly at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, scoring four goals, including strikes against Bosnia, Iran and Nigeria. However, he managed only one goal at the 2018 tournament in Russia, again finding the net against Nigeria.
Messi produced his most influential World Cup campaign in Qatar four years later, scoring seven goals and leading Argentina to the world title.
At the 2026 tournament, he has continued to deliver historic performances. Before facing Austria, Messi scored his first World Cup hat-trick in a victory over Algeria.
His latest brace has now taken him beyond Klose and into sole possession of the World Cup scoring record, further strengthening his legacy as one of football's greatest players.
