Grab a cold drink and dive into Nick Ames’ preview of the upcoming match. One passage particularly stood out to me.
“My wish is for him to be happy,” Scaloni was asked what he would wish for his captain, who is competing here while his father, Jorge, undergoes medical treatment, when he turned 39 on Wednesday. “My wish is for him to be happy,” he said. Messi and Argentina, both in radiant form, aim to continue bringing the joy.
After conceding a goal to Jordan—ranked 68th in the world—Austrian fans might not feel confident as they prepare to face Lionel Messi, who is poised to become the World Cup’s all-time leading goalscorer. No offense to Jordan, but this is Messi we’re discussing.
The key concern for Argentina is identifying their goal sources if Messi has an off day. Lautaro Martínez can be inconsistent, missing chances as frequently as he converts them, and the 4-4-2 formation favored by Lionel Scaloni may limit midfielders’ scoring opportunities. Thiago Almada will need to pose a threat from the left, but the Atlético Madrid winger only netted four goals and provided two assists across 40 club matches last season.
Romano Schmid, likely unfamiliar to many outside Austria and Germany prior to this World Cup, made a notable entrance by scoring a stunning long-range goal against Jordan. He is set to start on the right wing today.
Familiarize yourself with Austria before the match with our comprehensive team guide. Under the leadership of Ralf Rangnick, known for his high-pressing tactics, they are a formidable side eager to make their mark in their first World Cup since 1998, following three consecutive qualifications for European Championships.
As we await kick-off, I want to share the official Austria World Cup anthem, which my colleague Daniel Harris recommended to me. It’s genuinely catchy.
Argentina’s lineup: E. Martínez; Molina, Romero, Lisandro Martínez, Medina; De Paul, Mac Allister, Fernández, Almada; Messi, Lautaro Martínez.
Substitutes: Musso, Senesi, Tagliafico, Montiel, Paredes, Barco, Álvarez, Lo Celso, Rulli, Palacios, González, Simeone, Paz, Otamendi, Lopez.
Austria’s lineup: A. Schlager; Posch, Danso, Alaba, Laimer; Seiwald, X. Schlager; Schmid, Sabitzer, Wanner; Gregoritsch.
Substitutes: Affengruber, Arnautović, Grillitsch, Wiegele, Pentz, Kalajdzic, Lienhart, Mwene, Chukwuemeka, Ljubicic, Wimmer, Prass, Friedl, Svoboda, Schopf.
Austria’s historical rivalry with Germany might lead them to feel indifferent if Messi scores today, as that would mean he surpasses Miroslav Klose’s World Cup scoring record. However, there is a significant German influence within the Austrian squad, with Rangnick at the helm and many players hailing from the German Bundesliga.
Despite conceding a careless goal to tournament newcomers Jordan, Austria delivered a commendable performance in their initial group match. However, a loss today would create a tense final game against Algeria, where their chances of advancing to the knockout rounds would be on the line. The two other teams in Group J will play in just a few hours in San Francisco.
Welcome to the first World Cup action of Monday. The holders are in Texas, prepared to take on Ralf Rangnick’s Austria in a match that will likely determine the leader of Group J. All eyes will be on Argentina and Lionel Messi, following his extraordinary hat-trick in their opener against Algeria last week. Scoring just once today will allow him to become the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer.
Messi has faced a turbulent couple of weeks, as his family confirmed last Thursday that his father Jorge is receiving medical care for an undisclosed condition. An Argentinian television host resigned after mistakenly reporting that Jorge, 68, had passed away. Messi appeared emotional during their opener in Kansas City, but he now has an opportunity to make history today in Dallas.
Austria boasts a legendary veteran forward, Marko Arnautović, who finally found the net 112 minutes into their opening 3-1 victory over Jordan. After entering as a substitute at halftime, the 37-year-old had a goal disallowed, contributed to an own goal, and eventually converted a late penalty to secure the victory.
The kick-off at Dallas Stadium is set for noon local time, 6 PM BST, and 3 AM AEST. Feel free to reach out to me via email.
