Argentina, led by Lionel Messi's hattrick, secured a 3-0 victory against Algeria last wednesday, placing them at the top of group J. This dominant performance puts Argentina in a strong position to advance, with Messi now needing just one more goal to surpass Miroslav Klose's record of 16 goals, making him the highest scorer in World Cup history.

A win against Austria would guarantee Argentina a spot in the round of 32. A draw would also likely be enough, as La Albiceleste is almost certain to finish among the top three teams in the group. Should Argentina claim the top spot in their group, they would face the second-place team from group H in the round of 32, a position likely to be filled by either Uruguay or Cape Verde.

Lionel Scaloni's squad has been in exceptional form, winning all eight of their recent matches and keeping clean sheets in all but two. Their impressive run includes six wins, one draw, and only one loss in their last eight official games. A victory over Austria would mark Argentina's eighth consecutive win at the World Cup, matching their total number of victories from their previous 14 matches in the tournament.

Forward Lionel Messi (number 10) celebrates after scoring his second goal in the World Cup 2026 group J match between Argentina and Algeria in Kansas City, Missouri, US, on 16/6. Photo: AP

In contrast, Austria faced a challenging opening match against Jordan. They struggled to gain an advantage, needing an own goal from Yazan Abu Al-Arab in the 76th minute to take a 2-1 lead. Marko Arnautovic then secured their 3-1 victory with a penalty in the 12th minute of second-half stoppage time.

Coach Ralf Rangnick expressed dissatisfaction with his team's defending, particularly during Jordan's 50th-minute equalizer, where Austria's left flank was exposed after an ineffective high-pressing attempt. Despite these concerns, the 67-year-old strategist can take comfort in Austria's overall defensive record, having conceded more than one goal in only one of their last 18 matches.

This tournament presents a significant opportunity for Austria to advance past the World Cup group stage for the first time since 1982. This potential achievement is particularly notable given that World Cup 2026 marks Austria's first appearance in the competition since 1998.

Historically, Argentina and Austria have met only two times. Austria managed a 1-1 draw against Argentina in a 1990 friendly match but suffered a 1-5 defeat to them in 1980.

Austria is expected to be a tougher opponent for Argentina than Algeria. However, Messi's talent may be the decisive factor. Argentina must avoid errors when building play from the back against Austria's pressing tactics and ensure Messi is well-protected to maintain their World Cup winning streak.

Vy Anh