Lionel Messi has become the outright leading goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history after scoring twice in Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Austria to secure a place in the round of 32.
The Argentine captain scored his 17th and 18th World Cup goals to surpass former Germany striker Miroslav Klose, whose record tally of 16 goals was set between 2002 and 2014.
The victory also ensured that the defending champions progressed to the knockout stage of the tournament.
Messi, who turns 39 on Wednesday, delivered another influential performance as Argentina maintained their bid to retain the World Cup title.
In another match, Kylian Mbappé scored twice as France recorded a comfortable 3-0 victory over Iraq in a weather-delayed encounter in Philadelphia.
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The French forward’s brace moved him into joint second place on the all-time World Cup scoring chart, further strengthening his reputation as one of the competition’s most prolific goalscorers.
Meanwhile, Erling Haaland continued his impressive debut World Cup campaign by scoring two goals in Norway’s 3-2 victory over Senegal.
The win secured Norway’s qualification for the knockout stage, with Haaland once again playing a decisive role for his side.
The latest results further highlighted the impact of some of world football’s biggest stars as the race for World Cup glory continues.
