World Cup 2026, Day 12: Messi shows he is mortal, before breaking tournament goals record

Barcelona legend Xavi suggested the other day that Lionel Messi isn’t entirely human, but Argentina’s captain only went and proved that he can, on occasion, show signs of being a mere mortal when he missed a penalty eight minutes in to the Group J game against Austria in Dallas.

Did he redeem himself? Daft question. Of course he did. Half an hour later he became the leading scorer in the history of the World Cup, moving one ahead of Miroslav Klose, when, at the age of 38, he scored in the 38th minute. It was like he planned the symmetry of it all.

That was his 17th World Cup goal, and in added time he made it 18 to wrap up a 2-0 win for Argentina – thus ensuring their progress to the knock-out stages.

Austria and Algeria will battle it out to join them in the last 32, both nations on three points in Group J. Algeria ended debutants Jordan’s hopes of advancing with a 2-1 victory in San Francisco, Amine Gouiri getting their winner with eight minutes to go. Jordan had taken a first-half lead through Nizar Al Rashdan before Nadhir Benbouali headed home a 69th-minute Riyad Mahrez corner to equalise.

In Group I, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland scored two apiece, for the second game running, in France and Norway’s wins over Iraq and Senegal, respectively. That keeps the pair in the running for the Golden Boot award, Messi one ahead of them on five goals.

Decidedly nasty weather interrupted the French game, lightning strikes in Philadelphia delaying the second half for two hours. By then Mbappé had put France a goal up, firing home from the edge of the box on 14 minutes. He doubled the lead early in the second half after a mistake from Iraqi goalkeeper Ahmed Basil, with Ousmane Dembélé wrapping up the win on 66 minutes after yet another brilliant Michael Olise assist.

Mbappé’s double brought his World Cup tally to 16 goals in just the 16 games, a reasonable ratio, putting him just two behind Messi in that all-time list. Haaland’s strike rate in the tournament is even better – four goals in two games. Norway needed him on form too against Senegal in New Jersey.

Marcus Pederson gave Norway the lead shortly before half-time, Haaland getting his first when he put away Martin Ødegaard’s through-ball soon after the break. Ismaila Sarr halved that two-goal advantage but Haaland restored it with a cool side-foot volley. Sarr struck again in added time, and had a chance to equalise with a late, late header, but Norway survived and are through to the last 32 with France – who they meet on Friday.

Results – Group J: Argentina 2 (Messi 38, 90+5), Austria 0; Jordan 1 (Al Rashdan 36), Algeria 2 (Benbouali 69, Gouiri 82). Group I: France 3 (Mbappé 14, 54, Dembélé 66), Iraq 0; Norway 3 (Pedersen 43, Haaland 48, 58), Senegal 2 (Sarr 53, 90+3).

Goal of the day: Ah here, what else could we pick other than that record-breaking Lionel Messi goal. That was 121 goals in 201 appearances for his country, before he made it 122 in added time – for a lad who isn’t even a striker, that’s half decent.

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Moment of the day: Never mind the day, make this the moment of the month. The only issue with this joyous scene is that the Cape Verde fan was so busy talking to the BBC reporter he missed the historic moment his country scored its first World Cup goal. No matter, it was still pure bliss.

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Picture of the day: Among the many companies obliged to cover up their names at World Cup venues this summer, because they’re not Fifa sponsors, are Gillette, and the Massachusetts stadium that carries their name is known, by order of Fifa, as Boston Stadium for the duration of the tournament. How did Gillette hide their name? With shaving foam, of course. No flies on them.

Question of the day: When Ireland were beaten on penalties by Spain in what was their last World Cup finals game, in 2002, they converted just two of their efforts in the shoot-out. Robbie Keane got one, which Champions League winner got the other?

Coming up today: Group K – Portugal v Uzbekistan (6pm Irish time, RTÉ2 & UTV); Colombia v DR Congo (3am, RTÉ2 & UTV). Group L – England v Ghana (9pm, RTÉ2 & BBC One); Panama v Croatia (midnight, RTÉ2 & BBC One).

Elsewhere in sport: There was some seismic news on the rugby front on Monday with the announcement that Leo Cullen is stepping away from his role as Leinster coach after 12 years in the job. Gerry Thornley looks back at his reign, and wonders who might succeed him. An intriguing possibility? Look away now, Munster: (Ronan O’Gara).

In Gaelic games, Gordon Manning has all the details on the quarter-final draw for the football championship, Stephen Rochford reckoning that Kerry are, once more, the team to stop. Denis Walsh, meanwhile, reflects on two “desolate and disposable” hurling quarter-final “blowouts” at the weekend. The game, he says, “can’t afford another year like this”.

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