Lionel Messi is looking to become the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer when Argentina face Austria today.
A hat-trick against Algeria in the Group J opener in Kansas City, Missouri last week took the icon level with record holder Miroslav Klose of Germany on 16 finals goals.
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Messi - who turns 39 on Wednesday - is hoping to make history when the World Cup holders meet Ralf Rangnick’s Austria in Arlington, Texas tonight.
Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has been forced into one change, with Gonzalo Montiel, scorer of the winning penalty in the World Cup final against France in 2022, ruled out of the second group stage game through injury.
The right-back was forced off at half-time of the 3-0 win over Algeria with a hamstring issue and while it is not thought to be too serious, he is not expected to be risked in Texas.
Nahuel Molina gets the nod and completes a defence that includes an all-Premier League centre-back pairing of Tottenham’s Cristian Romero and Manchester United’s Lisandro Martinez.
Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister and Enzo Fernandez keep their places in the engine room, while Thiago Almada keeps his place ahead of Nico Gonzalez.
It was between Lautaro Martinez and Julian Alvarez as to who partners Messi in attack, with the former getting the nod against Algeria but struggled and was replaced 10 minutes into the second half. He continues from the start here once more.
Alvarez - linked with a summer transfer to Arsenal, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain - does have previous in linking up well with Messi but has not been given the chance to wreak havoc at the apex of Scaloni’s 4-4-2 here.
Argentina XI: E Martinez; Molina, Romero, L Martinez, Medina; De Paul, Mac Allister, Fernandez, Gonzalez; Messi, Alvarez
Injured: Montiel
Time and date: 6pm BST, today, Monday June 22, 2026
Venue: Dallas Stadium
How to watch: BBC
