DALLAS — Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has confessed that he is running out of ways to articulate his admiration for Lionel Messi. The admission came following Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Austria at Dallas Stadium on Monday, a match that saw the 38-year-old captain cement his status as the most prolific goalscorer in the history of the FIFA World Cup.
Messi’s brace took his tournament tally to 18 goals, moving him past both Miroslav Klose’s men's record of 16 and the overall tournament mark of 17 previously held by Brazil’s Marta. While the feat is historic, Scaloni suggested that the constant cycle of record-shattering performances has left him struggling for new ways to praise his captain.
"I have no more words to talk about Leo," Scaloni said after the match. "It makes us a little bit tired talking about him all the time."
Beyond the statistics, Scaloni highlighted the selfless nature of Messi’s performance, particularly during periods when Argentina was forced to defend without the ball. "When the team was having a rough time, he worked and he managed to steal the ball," the coach noted. "You could see his level of commitment. There's a reason for that—he has commitment, and this is what he generates."
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The match was not without its hurdles; Messi missed a penalty in the eighth minute before finding the net half an hour later to seize the record. Argentina remained under pressure for large portions of the game, relying on a solitary save from goalkeeper Emi Martinez before Messi’s second goal in stoppage time finalized the scoreline.
Scaloni commended his team for their ability to manage a "complex" game against a physically imposing Austrian side. "We know how to suffer and that's something praiseworthy as a team," he said. "The team knows how to behave at all times."
With two consecutive victories in Group J, Argentina has already secured its place in the knockout rounds. Looking ahead, Scaloni dismissed the relevance of tournament favorites, focusing instead on the demanding physical and emotional toll of the competition.
"There are so many teams that can win; one of the big ones will win," Scaloni stated. "We will be one of the contenders, but it will be hard facing one of these big teams. But it will be hard for them facing us."
