The second round of group-stage matches continued at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Monday, June 22, with several big names making headlines across the United States of America.
Lionel Messi broke yet another record as Argentina secured their place in the last 32, while Kylian Mbappe inspired France to victory over Iraq.
Erling Haaland was the hero for Norway in a thrilling win against Senegal, and Algeria boosted their qualification hopes with a hard-fought victory over Jordan.
Messi breaks World Cup scoring record
Lionel Messi wrote another chapter in football history as Argentina defeated Austria 2-0 in Arlington.
The Argentina captain missed an early penalty but recovered to score twice and surpassed Miroslav Klose’s men’s record (16) and Marta’s overall record (17) to become the outright World Cup top scorer with 18.
Messi opened the scoring in the 38th minute with a composed finish before adding a second deep into stoppage time to seal the victory.
The result sent the defending champions into the last 32 with a game to spare and maintained their perfect start to the tournament.
Austria battled well for long periods but struggled to create clear opportunities, leaving their qualification hopes hanging in the balance heading into the final group match.
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Mbappe reaches milestone in France win
France booked their place in the knockout stages with a convincing 3-0 victory over Iraq in Philadelphia.
Kylian Mbappe marked his 100th international appearance in style by scoring twice, while Ousmane Dembele added the third goal.
The match was heavily disrupted by severe weather, with thunderstorms causing a lengthy delay. However, Didier Deschamps’ side remained focused and controlled the game from start to finish.
France have now won both of their opening matches and sit top of Group I ahead of their final fixture.
Haaland double sends Norway through
Erling Haaland continued his excellent tournament with two goals as Norway edged Senegal 3-2 in New Jersey.
Marcus Pedersen gave Norway the lead before Haaland struck twice after the break, with assists from Martin Odegaard and Patrick Berg.
Senegal refused to give up, and Ismaila Sarr scored twice to set up a tense finish, but Norway held on to secure all three points.
The victory guarantees Norway a place in the last 32 for the first time in nearly three decades and sets up a group decider against France.
Algeria boost qualification hopes
Algeria claimed a vital 2-1 victory over Jordan to move firmly into contention for a place in the knockout rounds.
Jordan competed strongly throughout the contest, but Algeria made the most of their chances and held on under late pressure.
The win leaves Algeria with three points from two matches and gives them a strong opportunity to progress from Group J.
Tuesday, June 23 fixtures
Group K
Portugal vs Uzbekistan – 9pm, Gillette Stadium, Massachusetts, USA
Colombia vs DR Congo – 3am (Wednesday), Estadio Akron, Guadalajara, Mexico
Group L
England vs Ghana – 9pm, Gillette Stadium, Massachusetts, USA
Panama vs Croatia – 12am (Wednesday), BMO Field, Toronto, Canada
All four matches could have a major impact on qualification as the race for places in the last 32 continues.
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