Lionel Messi and Argentina will aim to seal their place in the Round of 32 when they take on Austria in a key Group J clash at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Monday at Dallas Stadium.
La Albiceleste arrive in commanding form after a convincing 3-0 win over Algeria, a result inspired by a stunning hat-trick from Messi, which kept them top of Group J with maximum points. Austria, meanwhile, sit second after edging past Jordan 3-1 in their opening fixture, leaving both sides firmly in contention for qualification.
Match Preview
Argentina’s opening performance reinforced their status as one of the tournament favourites, with Lionel Messi once again delivering a masterclass on the biggest stage. The 38-year-old now stands just one goal shy of the all-time World Cup scoring record, but more importantly, he has put his side in an excellent position to progress.
A victory on Monday will guarantee Argentina’s place in the knockout phase, while even a draw would likely be enough to secure progression given their strong start and goal difference advantage.
Lionel Scaloni’s side have been in outstanding form overall, winning their last six matches in all competitions and losing just once in their previous eight competitive outings. Defensively solid and efficient in attack, Argentina have also developed momentum at the perfect time, with another win extending their impressive World Cup winning streak.
Austria, however, will provide a far sterner test than Algeria. Ralf Rangnick’s team showed resilience in their opener but also defensive vulnerability, particularly after conceding an equaliser to Jordan before late drama secured victory. Despite that, Austria have been difficult to break down in recent months, conceding more than one goal only once in their last 18 matches.
Das Team are now on the brink of making history, with qualification for the knockout stages within reach for the first time since 1982. A positive result against Argentina would significantly boost their chances heading into their final group fixture.
Head-to-Head & History
These two nations have met only twice before, with Austria holding Argentina to a 1-1 draw in a friendly in 1990, while Argentina recorded a dominant 5-1 win in 1980.
Team News
Argentina are expected to stick with their core attacking structure built around Messi, supported by Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernández and Thiago Almada in midfield. Gonzalo Montiel is a slight doubt, meaning Nahuel Molina could start at right-back, while Cristian Romero and Lisandro Martínez are set to anchor the defence.
Austria may be forced into a defensive change with Stefan Posch a major doubt due to a jaw injury, potentially seeing Konrad Laimer fill in at right-back. In midfield, Nicolas Seiwald and Xaver Schlager are expected to start again, with Marcel Sabitzer and Carney Chukwuemeka providing creativity further forward. Marko Arnautovic is pushing for a starting role after scoring off the bench in the opener.
Predicted Lineups
Argentina:
Emiliano Martínez; Molina, Romero, L. Martínez, Medina; De Paul, Mac Allister, Fernández, Almada; Messi, Lautaro Martínez
Austria:
Schlager; Laimer, Lienhart, Alaba, Mwene; Seiwald, X. Schlager; Schmid, Chukwuemeka, Sabitzer; Kalajdzic
Prediction
Austria are expected to make this a difficult contest with their organisation and physicality, but Argentina’s quality—especially with Messi in this form—should ultimately decide the match.
We say: Argentina 2-1 Austria
