The Guardian’s Pablo Iglesias Maurer reports live from Dallas Stadium, where Lionel Messi made history last night, further solidifying his status as one of football’s greatest.
Messi shared his thoughts on the match, stating, “It feels special, but like I’ve always said it does. Like I’ve said other times, I enjoy playing, having a good time on the pitch. I wasn’t necessarily having one on the penalty, but with luck we were able to work through that situation, take the advantage and leave with three points.”
Argentina’s head coach, Lionel Scaloni, expressed his admiration for Messi, saying, “I have no words to talk about Leo, it makes us all a bit tired. I’m so happy with his performance. He scored again. The team suffered and at times we created difficulties today. When Leo becomes active everyone activates. “When the team was having a tough time without possession of the ball he worked, he managed to steal the ball, you could see his level of commitment and there is a reason for that. He has commitment, this is what he generates.”
Scaloni added, “When the team was having a tough time without possession of the ball he worked, he managed to steal the ball, you could see his level of commitment and there is a reason for that. He has commitment, this is what he generates.”
At 38, Messi shows no signs of slowing down, and he will celebrate his birthday tomorrow. What a remarkable feat to ascend to the top of the all-time World Cup scoring charts just a day before his big day.
Teammate Julián Alvarez praised Messi’s extraordinary performance after Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Austria, remarking, “He’s the best.”
Football enthusiasts are buzzing as Messi, Kylian Mbappé, and Erling Haaland continue to shine on the world stage. The trio’s outstanding performances have propelled Argentina, France, and Norway into the last 32 after two matches. Messi now holds the record for the most goals in World Cup history with 18, while leading the Golden Boot race with five goals, followed closely by Mbappé and Haaland, each with four.
Looking ahead, today’s fixtures include a highly anticipated match between Portugal and Uzbekistan, followed by a midnight clash between Panama and Croatia. Additionally, DR Congo will return to the field to face Colombia later in the day.
In a thrilling showdown, England will take on Ghana at 9 PM BST, led by Thomas Tuchel’s squad in Group L. Excitement is building!
Welcome to Day 13 of World Cup 2026!
