Lionel Messi will take the field again Monday when defending World Cup champions Argentina face Austria in a Group J match at Dallas Stadium in Dallas, Texas. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. local time.
The match comes after Messi, 38, scored all three goals in Argentina's opening 3-0 win over Algeria in Kansas City. According to Al Jazeera, his hat-trick was his first ever at a FIFA tournament and drew him level with Germany's Miroslav Klose as the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history. Messi now has 16 World Cup goals. One other effort was ruled out for offside.
The Argentina opener was Messi's 200th international appearance. His career with the national team began in 2005 when he was 18. He spent the majority of his club career at Barcelona before moving to Paris Saint-Germain and now plays for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.
Algeria filed a formal complaint to FIFA's refereeing commission following the match. They alleged that Messi should have been sent off for standing on the calf of their captain, Aissa Mandi.
Austria arrives in Dallas after defeating Jordan in their opening group game. Austria captain David Alaba stressed in the buildup to Monday's match that Argentina's quality goes beyond Messi alone, telling reporters the team is aware of "what kind of quality they have in their ranks, even besides Messi."
A win for either side would go a long way toward securing a place in the knockout stages. The series third match will be the decisive factor for any team that falls short on Monday.
