The dream of defending the title continues. This Monday at 14:00 (Argentine time), Argentina faces Austria at the Dallas Stadium in Arlington for the second match of Group J of the 2026 World Cup. A victory would certify the pass to the round of 16 and keep alive the hope of repeating the feat of Qatar 2022.
La Albiceleste arrives with morale sky-high after the overwhelming debut: a 3-0 win against Algeria with Lionel Messi as the star figure. The Rosario native scored a hat-trick and reached 16 goals in World Cups, tying the mark of German Miroslav Klose. This Monday, with just one sacred goal, Messi will become the sole all-time top scorer in World Cup history. A milestone that paralyzes the football planet.
But not everything is rosy. Lionel Scaloni’s coaching staff had to make changes to the lineup. The almost certain absence of defender Gonzalo Montiel due to a muscle strain opens the door for Nahuel Molina to start at right back. In attack, the mystery is huge: Julián Álvarez, recovered from an ailment that relegated him to the bench in the debut, is fighting tooth and nail with Lautaro Martínez for the spot alongside Messi and Nicolás González or Thiago Almada.
On the other side, Austria is not a fearsome opponent. The Europeans come from a 3-1 win against Jordan, and a victory against Argentina would also give them a ticket to the next phase. It will be the first official match between the two teams; the only two previous meetings are friendlies in 1980 and 1990. A fact that excites the superstitious: on both previous occasions, Argentina came as world champions (1978 and 1986). The mystique repeats with the golden patch of Qatar on the chest.
The probable lineup for Argentina: Emiliano Martínez; Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martínez, Facundo Medina; Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernández, Rodrigo De Paul; Lionel Messi; Nicolás González or Thiago Almada, and Julián Álvarez or Lautaro Martínez. The whole country will be watching a match that could be historic. Will Messi do it? Will Argentina seal the pass? The Dallas Stadium awaits.
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para mi messi ya es el mas grande y este record lo confirma los zurdos lloran como siempre pero argentina pasa como machos vamos austria a callar bocas sin miedo al exito carajo
che messi a un gol del record pero los milicos austriacos lo quieren reventar no? ma que bosta estos fachos gorilas ya van a ver como les rompemo el orto dale argentina pasá a octavos y calláles la boca a los mogolicos de la afa vamos lio el pueblo esta con vos carajo