Lionel Messi scored twice to break the World Cup scoring record with 18 career goals, leading Argentina to a 2-0 victory and Round of 32 berth. Four hours later, Kylian Mbappé matched the previous record in France's 3-0 win over Iraq.

Argentina vs Austria: Failed Penalty, Two Goals

Messi began uncomfortably: he missed a first-half penalty. He redeemed that in the 38th minute and sealed the victory with a second goal in injury time.

Austria coach Ralf Rangnick protested the first goal, saying midfielder Xaver Schlager was fouled but the referee missed the call. Beyond that, he acknowledged difficulty in containing Messi.

"If someone is 39 years old and can still score two goals and five overall early in the tournament, that makes a real difference. We know he is on a different level," Rangnick said.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni praised Messi's effort beyond his two goals. "Today, when the team struggled to control the ball, he kept working hard. His commitment is clear. There's a reason — his commitment, that's what he brings," Scaloni said.

Argentina leads Group J with a perfect six points. Austria remains in contention with three points from its 3-1 opening win over Jordan.

What Messi's 18 Goals Mean

The tally surpasses any record in the tournament's 92-year history. Klose accumulated 16 goals from four editions (2002–2014); Messi has 18 from six editions since Germany 2006. He arrived at this tournament with a hat-trick against Algeria in the opener, making his two against Austria his fifth goal in two matches. Messi is approaching his 39th birthday.

In Philadelphia, hours after Messi established the new mark, Mbappé scored his 16th goal to match the old record. On a single night, the old record belonged to two players — one who had just reached it, one who had just surpassed it.

Mbappé is 27 and could have two or three World Cups ahead. The two-goal gap between them will be one of the most closely watched tallies throughout the tournament.

France vs Iraq: Two-Hour Lightning Delay, Three Goals

The match in Philadelphia was halted for more than two hours when lightning was detected near the stadium. FIFA rules require play to stop and all spectators evacuated from the stands if lightning is detected within approximately 13 kilometers. After conditions cleared, France completed the match without further interruption.

Mbappé opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a left-footed strike from outside the box, then added a second from a pass by Ousmane Dembélé. Dembélé himself closed it out at 3-0, set up by Michael Olise.

Coach Didier Deschamps was brief on the record question: records are there to be broken, according to ESPN. Mbappé downplayed the comparison — "I already knew Messi would keep scoring. That's just how he is," he told ESPN.

Iraq, which lost 1-4 to Norway in its opening match, is now nearly eliminated after a second defeat. France had previously beaten Senegal 3-1.

Rest of Schedule

The evening featured four World Cup matches, all broadcast free on Indonesian state television TVRI. Two additional matches from the same groups — Norway vs. Senegal and Jordan vs. Algeria — were played the same day.

The final matches of Groups I and J are scheduled for late June. Argentina and France can rotate squads with qualification secured, while Austria is still fighting for second place or the strongest third-place finish. Messi's record of 18 and Mbappé's 16 will be numbers closely tracked each time either takes the field.