June 22, 2026 will be etched in the history of world football. Lionel Messi, aged 38 and in his sixth World Cup, scored two goals against Austria at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas to give Argentina a 2-0 victory that sealed qualification for the round of 32. But what truly shook the foundations of the sport was that with those goals, the Albiceleste captain reached 18 World Cup goals, surpassing German Miroslav Klose as the all-time top scorer in the competition.
The reaction from the Mexican press, one of the tournament’s host countries, was immediate. With headlines ranging from epic to reverent, the main sports media outlets in the Aztec nation set aside any rivalry to recognize the greatness of the Rosario native. AS Mexico got straight to the point: «Messi, legend of legends.» Mediotiempo joined the historic bandwagon: «Historic day! Messi guides Argentina to the World Cup round of 32 with brace against Austria.» TUDN, the tournament’s official broadcaster in Mexico, chose the superlative: «Unmatched! Messi makes history and qualifies Argentina for the round of 32.»
The national reference newspaper El Universal was more narrative: «Lionel Messi makes his legend even greater with brace against Austria.» Meanwhile, the sports daily Estadio preferred a collective framing: «Lionel Messi makes history: Argentina defeats Austria and secures its ticket to the next phase of the 2026 World Cup.»
But the standout was Récord, which published four simultaneous articles on the match, each with a different angle. Among the headlines: «Messi becomes the all-time top scorer in World Cup history,» «Argentina defeats Austria with historic brace from Messi,» and «Récord Verdict: Messi is Argentina, and that’s enough even with his worst version.» However, the fourth article was the most uncomfortable for the idol: «Messi is the footballer with the most missed penalties in World Cups.» No other media outlet highlighted that fact with equal prominence, showing that even the greatest have flaws.
With the 2-0 win over Austria, Argentina secured its place in the round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup before playing the third matchday of the group stage. La Albiceleste is in Group J and awaits the result of the match between Algeria and Jordan to determine whether it finishes top of its group. Messi’s brace also coincided with the 40th anniversary of Diego Maradona’s goal against England at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, a fact that several Mexican media outlets included in their coverage. Messi turns 39 on June 24, two days after the match against Austria. The football world once again bows at his feet.
Watch the 2026 World Cup in the best quality
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Para mí Messi es un fenómeno, pero esto huele a negocio de la prensa mexicana, mientras los pibes se cagan de hambre. ¡Viva la lucha de clases, carajo! El sistema lo usa, no al pueblo.
Para mí Messi es el único Dios del fútbol, Klose un muerto al lado. Los mexicanos lloran? Sigan mirando su liga de cuarta. Argentina papá, esto es fútbol de verdad, VAMOS CARAJO!