FIFA World Cup 2026 LIVE updates: Messi creates history as Argentina beat Austria, France prepare for clash with Iraq; Norway, Senegal, Jordan and Algeria in action today

Another goal for Argentina and who else but Messi - who has now scored all five of his side’s goals in their first two games at this tournament.

It started with Messi in the lead-up, as he sent a ball wide Alvarez, who then had his shot stopped. Messi takes possession, has his initial attempt blocked before he strikes again and makes it 2-0.

And he has one last chance to make it back-to-back hat tricks with a free kick 30 yards out in the last minute of stoppage time. He hits the ball well, but it is wide. That’s full-time in a match that has been all about Messi.

Argentina 2 - Austria 0, full-time.

Even before Messi’s record-breaking goal, June 22 was already a special date in Argentine football history.

It was this day, 40 years ago, when Diego Maradona produced his career-defining performance in Argentina’s 2-1 win over England in the 1986 World Cup quarter-finals at Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium.

He scored both the infamous “Hand of God” goal and the sublime “Goal of the Century,” dribbling past half the England team. The anniversary is commemorated in Argentina as the Day of the Argentine Footballer.

More than five years after his death, Maradona remains a ubiquitous figure among Argentina supporters, the only true rival to Messi’s towering popularity.

Mohamed Salah and his Egyptian teammates have been filmed celebrating with fans on the streets of Vancouver after the side recorded their first-ever win at a World Cup.

Salah scored and assisted in another as Egypt came from a goal down to defeat New Zealand 3-1 in their Group G clash yesterday. The win was their first at the tournament, having previously played at the event in 1934, 1990 and 2018.

The win puts Egypt atop the group and almost certain to progress through to the round of 32. A reason for Salah and team to celebrate.

He’s done it. Lionel Messi is now the all-time leading goalscorer at the World Cup after opening the scoring against Austria.

And it was a brilliant finish from Argentina’s number 10. Facundo Medina cuts the ball back, and Messi hits it first time, hard and low, into the bottom corner.

Messi earlier missed his first chance at the record when he pushed a 7th-minute penalty kick wide. He now has 17 goals at World Cups, overtaking Germany’s Miroslav Klose on 16.

Argentina 1 - Austria 0, 38th minute

He’s already one of the emerging faces of the tournament - and Merlin the duck’s 15 minutes of fame are not up yet.

The pet duck in a mini Mexico shirt who has become a viral sensation and an unofficial mascot of the World Cup has now met Mexico’s president on Monday.

The duck waddled on to the stage at the start of Claudia Sheinbaum’s regular morning press conference, took a seat where ministers and officials are usually seen, and, unfazed by the occasion, let out a few quacks.

“We feel very honoured to be here with the president; it is an honour for us to stand before you and for the whole world to see the beautiful side of Mexico,” said Karla Gomez, Merlin’s owner.

Merlin’s fame was ignited during street celebrations after the co-hosts beat South Africa 2-0 in the opening game on June 11, when the costumed duck was seen wandering among the crowd on the capital’s bustling Reforma avenue. Since then, Merlin has become one of the stars of the World Cup.

Messi misses! We are only seven minutes into this match, and Argentina has an early penalty given after Lautaro Martinez is brought down in the box by Austrian defender Xaver Schlanger.

The game was initially allowed to continue, but VAR intervened, and the referee went over to the screen and awarded the spot kick.

Messi steps up, hits it with his side foot and pushes wide a chance that would have seen him become the all-time World Cup goal scorer. For now, he remained tied with Germany’s Miroslav Klose on 16.

Argentina 0 - Austria 0, 7th minute.

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the 2026 World Cup, where we will again see superstars Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland all in action on the same day.

First up, it is Messi’s Argentina who play Austria in Dallas. Coming off a hat trick against Algeria, the 38-year-old will be chasing the opportunity to become the all-time leading World Cup goalscorer, and a win would also put his side through to the knockout stages.

France v Iraq will follow that match at 7am, Norway against Senegal at 10am and then Jordan plays Algeria at 1pm.

Last week, Messi, Mbappe and Haaland scored seven goals them across three stadiums in one glorious day of World Cup football. Will we get the same day? One can hope.