With 18 goals, Messi is the all-time leading scorer in men's World Cup history.
"First of all, I'm very happy with the victory. It was super important. We worked hard and now we can calm down for what lies ahead. We're happy to have taken six points and advanced," Messi said in a TV interview immediately after the match.
It's not easy to become the all-time leading scorer in the World Cup. Messi made it difficult for himself.
Argentina were awarded a penalty in the group stage match in the ninth minute after a VAR review. Referee Amin Omar looked at the TV screen and determined that Lautaro Martínez had been tackled illegally.
Messi stepped forward - and shot wide.
Something he himself pointed out when asked about his fantastic start with five goals in the first two games, which makes him top scorer.
It's fantastic, but I had a penalty I could have taken. I'm happy with the result, the effort and the hard work of the whole team.
Less flattering record
He still set a record there and then - a less flattering one. He is now the first player to have missed three penalties in the World Cup.
Messi, who turns 39 on Wednesday, made his senior debut for Argentina in 2005 at the age of 18 years, one month and 24 days. Against Austria, he made his 201st international appearance.
The historic goal was his 121st for the national team.
A gigantic roar followed the goal, and Argentines strongly dominated the crowd at a packed Dallas Stadium (70,649 spectators).
An estimated 80,000 Argentines are said to be in Dallas, many without match tickets. On the black market, a ticket cost up to 15,000 kronor a few hours before the match.
Messi, who has won the Ballon d'Or eight times, is making his sixth World Cup (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026), the same number as Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo.
Seven goals in Qatar
The most he has scored in a tournament is seven goals - most recently in Qatar four years ago.
Then he and Argentina won the World Cup gold medal.
The match against Austria was anything but a walkover victory. Ralf Rangnick's eleven put Argentina and goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez in trouble several times, but lacked the top quality that Lionel Messi possesses.
In extra time, Messi scored his second goal of the match.
With the victory, Argentina qualified for the round of 16.
Corrected: In a previous version, there was incorrect information about Mbappé's number of goals in the fact box.
18 goals: Lionel Messi, Argentina.
16 goals: Miroslav Klose, Germany, and Kylian Mbappé, France.
15 goals: Ronaldo, Brazil.
14 goals: Gerd Müller, West Germany.
13 goals: Just Fontaine, France.
12 goals: Pelé, Brazil.
11 goals: Jürgen Klinsmann, West Germany/Germany, Sándor Kocsis, Hungary.
10 goals: Gabriel Batistuta, Argentina, Gary Lineker, England, Harry Kane, England, Teófilo Cubillas, Peru, Helmut Rahn, West Germany, Thomas Müller, Germany and Grzegorz Lato, Poland.
Source: FIFA.
