Motivation or pressure?

With his hat-trick against Algeria, Lionel Messi has already set numerous records. But two particularly important records await the Argentine superstar in his match against Austria in the second round of Group J at the 2026 World Cup. Will they be a source of motivation or pressure?

In total, Messi has scored 16 goals in World Cups, equaling the record of former German striker Miroslav Klose. Adding one more goal against Austria means he has become the top scorer in World Cup history.

"The top scorer in World Cup history" is always a highly prestigious title for any player in the world of football.

The second record is equally prestigious – “The player with the most wins in World Cup history”. The victory against Algeria was Messi's 16th win in World Cups, equaling the achievement of former German striker Miroslav Klose. This means that with one more win, Messi will hold the title of “The player with the most wins in World Cup history”.

Furthermore, if he scores and Argentina defeats Austria, Messi could break a host of other records, such as: most goals scored with his left foot from outside the penalty area, most goals scored from long-range shots, most World Cup Golden Balls... In short, if he maintains his current goal-scoring form, Messi will become a "record holder of many records" at the World Cup!

Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring the opening goal in the match against Algeria. Photo: AP

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That's a huge motivation for any player, first and foremost. Messi, of course, is no exception. Furthermore, the Argentine superstar has a significant advantage. In the match against Austria, the Opta supercomputer's prediction model heavily favors Argentina. According to it, Argentina's probability of winning is 61.1%, while Austria's probability is only 17%. Regarding the number of goals, the probability of the match having more than 2.5 goals is 56.25%, while the probability of under 2.5 goals is 43.75%.

With the two pieces of data above, the possibility of Messi fulfilling his dream is highly feasible. However, in football, surprises are always a timeless beauty. Austria is not a pushover. Coach Ralf Rangnick's team has won 10 of their last 12 matches, losing only one. They are also on a four-game winning streak across all competitions. The 3-1 victory against Jordan wasn't perfect, but it still showed that Austria has the physical fitness and patience to settle the match in the final stages.

The football world is eagerly awaiting Messi to break new records. This is a source of motivation, but it can also become a source of pressure. If he doesn't score soon, the motivation of being a "record-breaker" could very well become a heavy burden on Messi's shoulders.

On the other hand, if Messi only wins the title of "Top Scorer in World Cup History" with the minimum number of goals, he could very well be surpassed by France's superstar striker Mbappé at this World Cup. His two goals against Senegal have brought his total number of World Cup goals to 14, just two goals short of the record of 16 goals held jointly by Miroslav Klose and Lionel Messi.

Furthermore, Mbappé is only 27 years old and still has many years of top-level competition ahead of him. Meanwhile, the 2026 World Cup will be Messi's last appearance.

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To solidify his "king" title at the World Cup, Messi will have to achieve more than just a victory against Austria. Let's wait and see if the player widely considered the greatest of all time can be the greatest player in the World Cup!

Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/the-thao/worldcup-2026/dong-luc-hay-ap-luc-1045545