How Messi Scored His 18th World Cup Goal in Stoppage Time Against Austria

Lionel Messi’s World Cup story found another late twist against Austria. Already the leading goalscorer in men’s World Cup history after his first-half strike, Messi scored again deep into added time to move to 18 World Cup goals and seal Argentina’s 2-0 win in Group J.

The second goal arrived in the 90+5th minute, moments after Argentina had been protecting a narrow lead and Austria were still searching for one last route back into the match. Messi, now 38, had already changed the night with a brilliant finish in the 38th minute. His late strike turned a historic evening into something even bigger: another reminder that Argentina’s No. 10 continues to shape World Cup matches long after most players would have stepped away from this stage.

Chase chase ….. Messi Goalllllllll 🇦🇷 No.18 and counting 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Q6WQqWXefV

— Yamlal (@cherryyams1) June 22, 2026

Messi’s opener had carried the heaviest historical weight. It moved him to 17 goals in men’s World Cup play, taking him beyond the previous all-time mark and making him the outright leading scorer in the tournament’s men’s history. The milestone came after an early penalty miss, with Messi sending his spot-kick wide before recovering with the kind of finish that has defined his career.

For official tournament context, FIFA’s World Cup coverage continues to track Messi’s historic scoring record and Argentina’s progress through the group stage via its World Cup 2026 hub.

Messi’s 90+5’ goal gives Argentina breathing room

Argentina spent much of the second half trying to manage the game rather than chase it. Austria pressed, made changes and tried to force mistakes, but Argentina’s defensive structure held firm. The match remained tense at 1-0 until the final minutes, when Messi struck again to remove any doubt.

The late goal mattered beyond the scoreline. At 2-0, Argentina turned a nervous closing spell into a controlled finish, while Messi added yet another defining World Cup moment to a career already crowded with them. The finish also pushed his tournament total to 18, strengthening a record that had only just become his outright possession earlier in the match.

The rhythm of the night made the achievement feel even more dramatic. Messi had a chance to break the record from the penalty spot early on but missed. Instead of allowing that moment to define his match, he responded before half-time with a composed finish, then returned in added time to score again when Argentina needed one final piece of control.

For Austria, the defeat was frustrating because the match never fully slipped away until stoppage time. They stayed within reach for almost the entire contest, but their inability to turn pressure into a goal left Argentina with space to survive, reset and eventually punish them late.

Argentina’s win strengthens their Group J position

The result leaves Argentina in a strong position in Group J after another Messi-led performance. A 2-0 win, a clean sheet and two goals from their captain gave the defending champions both the points and the story of the day.

Messi’s numbers now sit in rare territory even by his own standards. His 18th World Cup goal came in the final seconds of a match where he had already made history once. For Argentina, that is the deeper significance of the night: even at 38, Messi is not only protecting a legacy. He is still adding to it in real time.