Messi Breaks World Cup Scoring Record as Argentina, France Win; Norway Holds Off Senegal

Lionel Messi etched his name into World Cup history on June 23, 2026, by scoring both goals in Argentina's 2-0 victory over Austria. With his 17th and 18th World Cup goals, Messi surpassed Germany's Miroslav Klose to become the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history. In other Group I matches, France dominated Iraq with a commanding 3-0 win, while Norway held a narrow 3-2 advantage over Senegal late in their fixture at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where 80,663 spectators attended despite threatening weather.

France's victory over Iraq was decisive, with Kylian Mbappé opening the scoring at halftime. The striker's contribution was part of a remarkable day for elite strikers, as Erling Haaland of Norway scored twice in the second half against Senegal, adding to the goal-scoring exploits from earlier matches. The combination of Messi, Mbappé, and Haaland produced six goals across their respective matches, showcasing dominant offensive performances.

The Norway-Senegal contest remained competitive despite Norway's lead. Senegal showed resilience, with Ismaïla Sarr scoring his second goal in stoppage time to narrow the deficit to 3-2, keeping his team's chances alive with approximately five minutes remaining. The match featured nine minutes of stoppage time due to an earlier injury delay. Senegal's Kalidou Koulibaly was substituted out in the 72nd minute after defensive mistakes contributed to Norway's scoring opportunities, with Pape Matar Sarr entering the match in his place.

The results positioned Norway and France atop Group I standings, each with potentially six points pending the final whistle in the Norway-Senegal match. A 3-1 Norway victory would see both teams level on points and goal difference, with Norway holding an advantage in total goals scored. The group remains fluid heading into France and Norway's upcoming matchup at Gillette Stadium outside Boston on Friday.