Argentina defeated Austria in a very tough match, with Lionel Messi standing out as the game’s main figure. Lisandro Martinez knows what it is like to play with players of this caliber—including Cristiano Ronaldo during their time together at Manchester United in 2022—and had nothing but praise for his No. 10.
“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.
Lisandro Martínez #6 of Argentina during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group J match.
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.
