Playing in Arlington, Texas, Argentina were made to work for all three points by a disciplined Austrian outfit, but when the big moments arrived, Messi delivered. The Argentine captain scored both goals two before his 39th birthday as the Albiceleste maintained their perfect start in Group J and booked their place in the Round of 32 with a match to spare.

The brace was historic. Messi became the all-time leading scorer in Football World Cup history, surpassing Germany legend Miroslav Klose's mark of 16 goals. His second strike took him to 18 World Cup goals, moving him beyond Brazilian icon Marta's overall tournament record as well. Remarkably, he achieved the feat despite missing an early penalty.

Messi's latest masterclass further strengthened his legacy as arguably the greatest player ever to grace the World Cup stage. The Argentine captain has now scored in six consecutive World Cup matches and leads the race for the Golden Boot with five goals at the tournament.

Elsewhere in Group J, Algeria boosted their hopes of progressing with a 2-1 victory over Jordan. The result leaves Algeria firmly in contention heading into the final round of group fixtures, while Jordan face an uphill battle to remain in the tournament.

Kylian Mbappé - FIFA

In Group I, France continued their impressive form with a convincing 3-0 win over Iraq. Les Bleus controlled proceedings from the outset and moved a step closer to securing top spot in the group. The French have looked increasingly dangerous as the tournament progresses and are once again emerging as one of the favourites to lift the trophy.

The final match of the day produced one of the tournament's most entertaining contests as Norway edged Senegal 3-2. The victory strengthened Norway's chances of advancing to the knockout stages and showcased the attacking threat that has made them one of the surprise packages of the competition.

Attention now shifts to 23 June, when Groups K and L take centre stage.

Portugal will tackle Uzbekistan in Houston, with Cristiano Ronaldo's side eager to build on their opening draw against DR Congo. Portugal know that victory would place them in a strong position ahead of their final group match against Colombia.

England will then face Ghana in a fascinating Group L encounter in Boston. The Three Lions opened their campaign with an entertaining 4-2 victory over Croatia and another win would put them on the brink of qualification for the Round of 32. Ghana, meanwhile, will be determined to upset the European giants after starting their campaign with a narrow victory over Panama.

Later in the evening, Panama meet Croatia, while Colombia take on DR Congo in another crucial Group K clash. With the group stages entering their decisive phase, every point is becoming increasingly valuable as teams battle to secure their place in the knockout rounds.

For now, though, the story of the tournament belongs to Messi. Nearly two decades after making his World Cup debut, the Argentine magician continues to rewrite football history and remind the world why he remains the benchmark by which greatness is measured.

Morgan Piek OFM Sport