Messi becomes World Cup’s record goal scorer Double leads Argentina to victory against Austria

ARLINGTON, Texas:

Scoring goals and breaking records is what Lionel Messi does, and it’s what he did again on Monday at the World Cup.

The Argentina captain, who many consider the greatest player of all time, scored two more World Cup goals in his team’s 2-0 victory over Austria. That gave him a record total of 18 at the world’s biggest tournament.

“Beyond anything I’m so happy for the win,” Messi said. “It was huge, tough, and difficult. It would allow us to be relaxed about what’s ahead. All matches in this World Cup are very even, very intense. I’m enjoying this moment and craving to enjoy with my teammates.”

The first goal against Austria came in the 38th minute and two days before Messi’s 39th birthday and amid the concern of an ailing father back at home.

JOINING GREATS

It was the sixth consecutive World Cup game in which Messi has scored — joining France striker Just Fontaine and Brazil great Jairzinho as the only players to do so.

Messi had equalled Germany striker Miroslav Klose for the most goals in the World Cup at 16 with his first hat-trick at the tournament in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria in the Group J opener last Tuesday night in Kansas City.

MISSED PENALTY

He first had a chance to set the record in the ninth minute against Austria on Monday, but he missed a penalty kick.

“There were moments when I was really angry about missing the penalty, but I was able to make up for it,” said Messi, who has won a record eight Ballon d’Or awards as the best player in Europe.

Argentina advanced to the knockout round by winning their first two group games, with Messi scoring all five of the team’s goals so far in his sixth World Cup.

Messi added his 18th World Cup goal in stoppage time when he shot through several defenders after the first attempt was turned away by goalkeeper Alexander Schlager.

Klose scored his 16 goals while playing in 24 World Cup matches for Germany, which wrapped up his fourth tournament by winning the 2014 final 1-0 in extra time over Messi and Argentina.

In an interview published on June 12, Klose said he expected Messi to break the scoring record.

“I expect my record to fall in this tournament,” Klose told German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung. “With the larger field of competing teams, there are more games and so more chances to score goals. And I assume Argentina and France will go far. That’s perfectly OK. The record will be broken eventually anyhow, and Messi is welcome to be the one who does it. I’m a big fan of Messi, always have been. Messi is a genius.”