Lionel Messi broke the silence after breaking the World Cup record of most goals scored in the competition, claiming “we are Argentina and we will always look to win against any opponent.” Lionel Messi once again rewrote soccer history by becoming the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history after netting a clinical brace against Austria. Having already punched their ticket to the knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup, the Argentine captain made his team’s standard perfectly clear by declaring “we are Argentina and we will always look to win against any opponent.”
Speaking to reporters after the match where he was named Player of the Match, Messi reflected on both his individual milestone and the team’s collective objective: “Happiness, a lot of happiness, especially for the victory. We knew it was going to be a high-intensity match, that we couldn’t slack off. It helps us have a calmer week ahead, so I’m happy.“
With Algeria and Austria widely projected to be the two toughest opponents for Argentina in Group J play, Messi spoke candidly about the squad’s expectations coming into the tournament. “Getting both wins was in our plans. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy; nobody gives anything away. A lot of intensity, at times it was hard for us to play our game. It’s true that they didn’t hurt us either. It had become difficult to play, but at times we managed to do it,” he stated.
Following a dominant 3-0 shutout against Algeria and a decisive 2-0 victory over Austria, Argentina has officially locked up their spot in the Round of 32. Regardless of the opponents they have already dismissed or the challenges that await them in the bracket, Messi issued a firm reminder of the standard expected of the reigning world champions: “We are Argentina, and we are always going to go looking to win matches against any opponent.“
Lionel Messi #10 of Argentina celebrates with teammates after scoring against Austria.
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