Messi one goal from history as Argentina face Austria

Messi, one goal from history

Lionel Messi needs one goal to stand alone. He sits on 16 World Cup goals, tied with Miroslav Klose, and a single strike against Austria makes him the all-time top scorer in tournament history (4) (6). The record has been shared for too long. Messi can end that debate at 14:00 Brasília time (1).

Montiel out with hamstring injury

Gonzalo Montiel will miss today's match. A muscle injury in his right hamstring rules him out against Austria (3) (4). Nahuel Molina is the likely replacement at right-back.

A win sends Argentina through

Beat Austria and your team locks up a spot in the knockout stage. Argentina top Group J and face Rangnick's Austria, who are coming in with momentum of their own (5). Scaloni's lineup is expected to stay close to the core that opened the tournament: Dibu Martínez in goal, Cuti Romero and Lisandro Martínez at the back, De Paul, Mac Allister, and Enzo Fernández in midfield, with Messi feeding Julián Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez up front (1).

Mac Allister on Messi: 'It's very difficult to learn from what he does'

Alexis Mac Allister did not hold back. "C'est très difficile d'apprendre de ce qu'il fait," he said, meaning it is very difficult to learn from what Messi does, because what Messi does is not something you can copy (9). High praise from a teammate who sees it every day.

Rangnick: 'We can win'

Austria's coach is not here to admire the champions. "Podemos vencer," Ralf Rangnick told the press, we can win (7). Austria arrive with a winning record in the group and nothing to lose. Scaloni will have heard it.

Fan-reaktioner

The mood among Argentina fans is calm bordering on dismissive. A popular Reddit thread on one-sided rivalries singled out Mexico's fixation on Argentina as a case study in unrequited disdain, most Argentinians, the poster argued, do not give it much thought. That quiet confidence carries into matchday. Read the thread