Insider Gaston Edul of the Argentine outlet TyC Sports also reported via his X account that the player will undergo tests to determine the extent of his injury, which will force him to rest for a few days.

With qualification secured and Argentina leading the Group J standings, Lionel Scaloni will be able to test alternatives in the final match. Nicolas Otamendi, who came on to replace Romero during the game, is one of the options.

Cristian Romero’s recent injury

Argentina’s defensive anchor, Cristian Romero, suffered a major setback in mid-April 2026 after sustaining a knee injury during a 1-0 Premier League defeat against Sunderland. Medical scans later confirmed a partial tear of his medial collateral ligament (MCL), forcing him to miss the remainder of the club season and delivering a heavy blow to Tottenham’s’ defense.

Will Messi play against Jordan?

Although the Argentina national team has already secured its place in the next stage, there is a specific reason why its biggest star could still feature instead of resting. Lionel Messi leads the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot race with five goals in two matches and will look to score even more to further strengthen his standing.

What’s next for Argentina?

For the final fixture of the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage, Lionel Messi and Argentina will face Jordan on Saturday, June 27, 2026. This decisive Group J match will take place at Dallas Stadium for the tournament in Arlington, kicking off at 10:00 PM ET.

To put his staggering international production into perspective, Mbappe‘s goal was his 60th in 100 appearances for France. By comparison, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi had scored 46 and 37 international goals, respectively, when they reached the same 100-cap milestone with their national teams.

The milestone moment materialized after a sharp, fluid combination play between Mbappe and teammate Michael Olise. Finding a pocket of space, Mbappe unleashed a stunning long-range strike from outside the box to open the scoring for France in this crucial 2026 World Cup second-round matchup.

In addition to rewriting the record books for France, Mbappe is rapidly closing in on Messi at the top of the all-time World Cup scoring charts, pulling level with Brazilian legend Ronaldo for second place. With his strike in this crucial group-stage clash against Iraq, the French international continues to cement his legendary status by padding his already staggering tournament numbers.

Mbappe charges into the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot race

The French superstar didn’t just inch closer to the top of the all-time tournament scoring list; he also firmly inserted himself into the 2026 Golden Boot race, which is currently spearheaded by Lionel Messi.

With four goals already to his name and plenty of tournament left to play, Mbappe and Messi look primed for a thrilling heavyweight duel for the Golden Boot, with just a single goal separating the two icons at this stage.

Mbappe closing in on Miroslav Klose’s all-time record

While Messi continues to add to his own historic tally and Cristiano Ronaldo has yet to find the back of the net in this tournament, Mbappe has already caught Miroslav Klose in the all-time World Cup scoring charts. Sitting at 17 career tournament goals.

Before a quarter of an hour had been played in France‘s game against Iraq in Philadelphia, the French star unleashed a rocket of a shot to open the scoring and raise his all-time goal tally in World Cups. During Mbappe’s 100th cap for France, the French star reached 16 goals in FIFA World Cups, moving past Ronaldo Nazario with a brace and tying Klose’s numbers, who has 16 and recently saw Messi surpass him and break his record.

The message sent is clear: if Messi rests on his laurels, Mbappe will move past him. The race for the all-time record is on, and both Messi and Mbappe are fully engaged in an arms race for which Argentina and France can only be grateful.

All-time World Cup goals leaders

As things stand, Messi is the all-time leader, while Mbappe is tied for second all-time and ranks the same among active players. If counting retired players, Messi is first with 18 goals, Klose and Mbappe second with 16, and Ronaldo Nazario sits at third with 15.

Among current players, Messi still holds the lead, while Mbappe is second and Harry Kane sits third with 10 World Cup goals. Messi may have little time to settle into his throne, as the Frenchman is mounting a serious challenge with every goal he scores.

Messi and Mbappe stay red hot

Perhaps the heat across the United States, Mexico, and Canada is helping them out, but Messi and Mbappe are in red-hot form to start the 2026 World Cup. Messi leads the race for the Golden Boot with five goals in two games, scoring at an impossible to match rate. However, Mbappe isn’t staying too far behind. With four goals—and counting—he is right on Messi’s tail.

Mbappe is the defending Golden Boot winner, thanks to his eight-goal total in the 2022 World Cup, which left Messi as runner-up with seven goals. Four years later, the two are right back at it. This time, it’s Messi who holds the lead, but it could very well go down to the wire.

In fact, in 2022, Mbappe won the Golden Boot thanks to his hat trick in the final, in which Messi scored a brace. Messi and Argentina ended up winning the World Cup, though, so they had the last laugh.

The Golden Boot “curse”

Perhaps missing out on the Golden Boot is the price to pay to win the most coveted team trophy in international soccer. In fact, only three times in FIFA World Cup history has the leading goalscorer belonged to the nation that hoisted the trophy (Garrincha and Vava for Brazil in 1962, Paolo Rossi for Italy in 1982, and Ronaldo Nazario for Brazil in 2002).

There is an asterisk to that rule, as David Villa finished tied for the most goals in 2010 when Spain were crowned champions, but he lost the Golden Boot to Thomas Muller because assists served as the tiebreaker.

“I’ve always said Messi is no slouch. For me, Lionel Messi is the best of all time,” Klose admitted in dialogue with German news outlet Süddeutsche Zeitung after Messi snapped his World Cup goals record. “Congratulations, champ!”

Klose became the leading goalscorer in World Cup history after scoring two goals at the 2014 World Cup, raising his overall tally to 16 goals. Since then, he had been alone at the top, though Messi was closely chasing him. Klose’s reign lasted 12 years, but it has come to an end.

How Messi broke Klose’s record

Back in 2014, Messi had only scored five goals for Argentina in FIFA World Cups. Thus, he was 11 goals behind Klose in the all-time rankings. It felt difficult to imagine he could ever claim the throne, but it has happened. Messi scored once in 2018, seven times in 2022, and has five goals in two games in the 2026 World Cup.

Messi had moved level with Klose thanks to his hat trick against Algeria in Argentina’s debut. Now, he has snatched the crown from Klose with a brace against Austria. As Klose lost control of his realm, however, he took things with grace and acknowledged he lost the race to the best of all time.

Klose’s record vs Messi in World Cup

Klose can still hold two achievements over Messi’s head, though. Klose’s Germany defeated Messi’s Argentina in the 2014 World Cup final, years after eliminating La Albiceleste in the 2006 World Cup quarterfinals. Both times the stars met in FIFA World Cups, Klose and Germany came out on top.

Moreover, Klose won the World Cup Golden Boot in 2006, an award Messi has yet to win. However, that could change soon if Messi keeps up his scoring form in 2026. Twenty years later, Messi may finally get back everything Klose had that he didn’t.

Messi vs Mbappe: New battle for the goals record

With Messi climbing past Klose, a new battle for the title of all-time leading goalscorer begins. Because Klose is retired and coaching Bundesliga 2 side Nuremberg, he can no longer give Messi a run for his money. Instead, a new head-to-head battle is on between Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe.

As things stand, Messi has 18 goals in World Cups, but Mbappe is staying close with 15 (and counting). As the 2026 World Cup progresses, fans across the globe might see changes at the top of the all-time rankings.

“He (Messi) can’t be compared to anyone because he is on his own; just enjoy him—I can’t find the words. Enjoy having him here and that he is Argentine. We have to value having him here,” Martinez said of Messi in the post-match dialogue with the press.

Messi scored a brace and could have had even more had he converted the penalty he missed in the first half. Argentina are now through to the next stage and await their opponent in the Round of 32.

Argentina’s defensive wall

A large part of Argentina’s success in this World Cup is built on the defensive wall formed by its backline trio. Emiliano Martinez, Lisandro Martinez, and Cristian Romero have yet to concede a goal and have established themselves as one of the team’s strongest points so far in the tournament.

The enduring comparisons with Cristiano Ronaldo

In recent times, comparisons between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been constant, and they continue in this edition of the World Cup. For example, Messi has become the all-time leading scorer in the history of the tournament (with 18 goals so far), surpassing, among others, CR7, who has 8.

One area in which the Portuguese forward holds an advantage is in missed penalties. The Argentine has missed three penalties in World Cups, while Ronaldo has only done so once.

What’s next for Argentina?

For the final fixture of the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage, Argentina will face Jordan on Saturday, June 27, 2026. The decisive Group J match is scheduled to take place at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas (kickoff at 10:00 PM ET, where the Albiceleste will look to close out the opening round on a high note.

“Today there were moments where I was angry with myself because I missed it [the penalty] and took it very badly… but luckily we were able to turn it around and walk away with the 3 points, which is the most important thing,” Messi said. “I am incredibly happy with the victory. It was an immensely tough, hard-fought match, but it gives us peace of mind for what lies ahead.”

With his two-goal clinic, Messi shattered two separate milestones, most notably eclipsing German legend Miroslav Klose to officially become the highest goalscorer in World Cup history.

Beyond the captain’s own post-match analysis, defender Lisandro Martínez shut down any ongoing debates regarding Messi’s legacy. When asked about the constant comparisons between Messi and other rising stars, Martínez was definitive, stating simply that “he can’t be compared.”

Messi’s full comments after the game

While reflecting on his individual performance, Messi emphasized his immense satisfaction with Argentina securing an early ticket to the Round of 32, a knockout berth earned on the heels of back-to-back victories over Algeria and Austria in group play.

“Obviously happy, above all, for the victory. It was a very tough win; we knew it was going to be a highly intense match,” Messi said. “I’m happy with the result and the qualification. It was important for us to get six points to have a more peaceful week ahead.”

Messi added: “Getting these two victories was part of our plans, but we knew it wouldn’t be easy, especially with how this World Cup is going where nobody gives anything away. At times, it was hard for us to maintain the long possessions we wanted. It’s true they didn’t cause much damage either, but it was an intense, hard-fought match.“

What’s next for Messi and Argentina?

With a victory over Austria in the books and their place at the top of the table solidified, La Albiceleste will wrap up group play against Jordan. Jordan’s own knockout-stage aspirations hang in the balance, heavily depending on whether they can secure a crucial result against Algeria in their Matchday 2 fixture.

Messi is the leading goalscorer in the 2026 World Cup. Thanks to his hat trick against Algeria and his brace against Austria, Messi is up to five goals in soccer’s biggest tournament. Needless to say, he holds a comfortable lead in the race for the tournament’s Golden Boot.

Although Messi broke Miroslav Klose’s World Cup goals record and continues to shatter records left and right, there is one award that has eluded him. That is the World Cup’s Golden Boot. In 2022, he finished as runner-up with seven goals, behind Kylian Mbappe (who scored eight). This time around, he’s sending a clear message to the world: catch me if you can. But Messi isn’t letting off the gas.

Messi’s goals in every World Cup

Since his first World Cup appearance in 2006, Messi has been a staple of soccer’s biggest tournament. Although he didn’t always win the Golden Ball (awarded to the best player in each World Cup), there’s an argument to be made that Messi was the best player in the world in every tournament he played.

Despite being completely shut out in the 2010 World Cup, Messi has become the leading goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history. Curiously enough, Messi’s best World Cup performances have come as he has grown older, proving his maturity and experience are just as crucial as his speed and precision on the pitch.

Only two games into the 2026 World Cup, Messi has already scored the second-most goals he has ever scored in a single World Cup. In 2022, he recorded his personal best with seven goals in seven games. Now, he is just two goals away, with the chance to play in six more games. If Messi keeps up his red-hot form, he might shatter some of the only records he still has left to break.

• 2006 World Cup: Messi scored one goal
• 2010 World Cup: Messi didn’t score
• 2014 World Cup: Messi scored four goals
• 2018 World Cup: Messi scored one goal
• 2022 World Cup: Messi scored seven goals
• 2026 World Cup: Messi has five goals in two games

2026 World Cup Golden Boot race

As things stand—and with Erling Haaland yet to play their second game of the 2026 World Cup—Messi is two goals ahead of his closest challengers. Kylian Mbappe is staying close to Messi with three goals (and counting), but the Argentine star is also followed by Canada’s Jonathan David and Germany’s Deniz Undav, who both have three goals so far in the tournament.

Moreover, several players sit on two goals, including the likes of Mbappe, Haaland, Vinicius, Mikel Oyarzabal, and Crysencio Summerville.

Golden Boot winners since 2006

Ever since Messi played his first World Cup, back in Germany 2006, five different players have taken the Golden Boot home. Messi has yet to add his name to that list, even though he’s come awfully close before. This time around, it seems Messi is determined to add that final piece of silverware to his crammed trophy cabinet.

There are several scenarios to consider moving forward. First and foremost, Argentina will have to wait and see that Jordan does not defeat Algeria, which would secure first place in the group for La Albiceleste.

If Lionel Scaloni’s side ultimately finishes top of the group, attention will shift elsewhere. Its Round of 32 opponent will be one of the four teams from Group H.

Scenarios for Argentina in the Round of 32

If Argentina secure first place in Group J, they would inevitably face the second-placed team from Group H in the next round: Spain, Cape Verde, Uruguay, or Saudi Arabia.

After two matchdays in the group, Spain lead with four points, Cape Verde and Uruguay both have two, and Saudi Arabia sit last with one point. That said, any of these four teams could still finish second.

In the final matchday, Spain and Uruguay will play a crucial game for both teams’ chances, with the Europeans in a stronger position. Meanwhile, Cape Verde will look to pull off an upset against Saudi Arabia, a side that also still has a chance of finishing second in the group. If Argentina somehow finish second, they will face the winner of Group H.

Group H Matchday 3

Looking ahead in the short term, Lionel Messi and his teammates will have to wait for the outcome of these two matches to find out who they will ultimately face.

• Friday, 26 June 2026, Uruguay vs Spain – Guadalajara Stadium
• Friday, 26 June 2026, Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia – Houston Stadium

Messi scoring against Austria also made him tie French Just Fontaine and Brazilian Jairzinho as the players with most consecutive matches scoring in a World Cup stage with six. For Messi, this spans from Qatar 2022, until now.

Hence, with one goal, Messi now has two new World Cup records. This might be one of the most important goals in Messi’s career. Even better, the goal came after Messi missed a penalty, so it was also a moment of redemption for Argentina’s captain.

Messi’s six-game scoring streak by the numbers

Messi’s streak to tie Just Fontaine and Jarzinho’s record started in Qatar 2022’s Round of 16 matchup against Australia, where he scored the opening goal of a 2-1 victory. In the quarterfinals, Messi scored a penalty, and then assisted vs. Netherlands. In the semifinals, Messi opened the scoring vs. Croatia and then assisted as Argentina won 3-0. It all culminated with a World Cup win as Messi scored twice vs. France.

Now, with 38 years on his back, Messi scored a hat-trick in Argentina‘s 2026 World Cup debut vs. Algeria, and then scored against Austria in the second matchday. Should Messi score against Jordan, he would become the sole record-holder for scoring in the most consecutive World Cup games.

Did Fontaine and Jairzinho did it in the same World Cup?

Just Fontaine not only scored in six consecutive World Cup games, but scored 13 all while playing the 1958 edition. As for Jairzinho, he scored seven goals in six-straight games, all in Mexico 1970.

Depending on how you see it, one could be more impressive than the other. Doing it all in one tournament speaks to an absolute dominance during the span of the tournament. In Messi’s case, it’s more of an indictment on his durability and the fact that he’s aged like fine wine.

After uncharacteristically missing a penalty kick earlier in the first half against Austria, Messi redeemed himself by orchestrating a brilliant sequence. The Argentine icon initiated the play with a sweeping cross to the left flank before continuing his run, ultimately receiving a clever dummy pass completely unmarked to fire home.

With the clinical finish, Messi adds yet another historic milestone to his legendary resume, and he has plenty of opportunity to distance himself from the chasing pack if he stays hot against Austria. His ability to further rewrite the record books will ultimately hinge on his physical fitness and durability over the course of Argentina‘s grueling World Cup campaign.

The goal also allows Messi to widen his lead over long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo for career World Cup goals. Anticipation is already building for what the maestro can deliver in Argentina‘s upcoming group-stage finale against Jordan, as well as the high-stakes single-elimination matchup waiting in the Round of 32.

Messi matches another historic milestone with latest goal

By surpassing Miroslav Klose to claim 17 career World Cup goals, Lionel Messi also equaled, with most consecutive matches scoring in a World Cup stage held by a Brazilian icon, continuing to rewrite the history books on soccer’s grandest international stage.

Even though Messi became the first player to miss a penalty kick in the 2026 World Cup, his sheer brilliance and subsequent goal completely erased the blunder, anchoring another historic chapter for the Argentine talisman.

With the stage now set for Argentina to make a deep run, La Albiceleste understands exactly how heavily their aspirations rest on their superstar’s shoulders. With Messi firing on all cylinders, a successful World Cup title defense looks less like a dream and more like a distinct reality.

With his brace against Austria on Matchday 2 of the 2026 World Cup, Messi climbed to the top of the ranking with his 17th and 18th goal in World Cup history. Messi’s goal for Argentina against Austria puts him ahead of Klose. The Argentine legend is now on a pedestal of his own, with Mbappe as the main active player in pursuit. In fact, Mbappe is right on his tail, and the Frenchman could dethrone Messi in this very World Cup.

As for Ronaldo, the Portuguese star is more than halfway behind Messi in the FIFA World Cup’s all-time scoring chart. Cristiano has scored eight goals across six World Cup tournaments. Based on his poor start to the 2026 World Cup, during which he insisted the focus remains unchanged amid rumors surrounding Portugal, and the fact this will likely be his last World Cup, it’s hard to see “CR7” breaking—or even coming close to—Messi’s mark.

Every goal Messi scored in World Cups

Making his sixth appearance in a FIFA World Cup, Lionel Messi continues to defy Father Time. His hat trick against Algeria took fans down memory lane as Messi looked like a player in his prime in Kansas City. Still, Messi’s prime is so difficult to define that one could argue any era of his career was his prime—or still is.

Not only did Messi’s hat trick break Cristiano Ronaldo’s record as the oldest player to score a hat trick in a World Cup, but it also shattered records across the tournament. No player had scored against more teams than Messi in World Cup history. For good measure, Messi added a new country, making it a 12-team list. Now, no player has scored more goals, either.

The full list of teams Messi has scored against in World Cups includes: Serbia and Montenegro (2006), Bosnia and Herzegovina (2014), Iran (2014), Nigeria (brace in 2014 and one goal in 2018), Saudi Arabia (2022), Mexico (2022), Australia (2022), Netherlands (2022), Croatia (2022), France (brace in 2022), Algeria (hat trick in 2026), and Austria (brace in 2026).

• Goal vs Serbia and Montenegro (2006)
• Goal vs Bosnia and Herzegovina (2014)
• Goal vs Iran (2014)
• Brace vs Nigeria (2014)
• Goal vs Nigeria (2018)
• Goal vs Saudi Arabia (2022)
• Goal vs Mexico (2022)
• Goal vs Australia (2022)
• Goal vs Netherlands (2022)
• Goal vs Croatia (2022)
• Brace vs France (2022)
• Hat trick vs Algeria (2026)
• Brace vs Austria (2026)

Active players who could dethrone Messi

Mbappe is the obvious candidate and favorite to become the all-time leading goalscorer sooner or later. However, there are other names to keep an eye on. Perhaps overlooked, Harry Kane is up to 10 World Cup goals and is the third-highest scorer among active players.

Erling Haaland and Lamine Yamal are other names to watch. In fact, Yamal has beaten Messi and Ronaldo by scoring his first World Cup goal at 18, so he could be well on his way to setting the record in the future.