“He Keeps Breaking Records” — Scaloni Reacts to Messi’s World Cup Feat

Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni

Lionel Messi overcame a missed penalty to score twice and become the World Cup’s all-time top scorer. Back-to-back wins send defending champions Argentina through.

Scaloni ‘out of words’ as Messi becomes World Cup’s all-time top scorer...

Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni said he’s run out of ways to describe Lionel Messi’s constant record-breaking, after his captain became the World Cup’s top scorer ever on Monday.

Messi scored twice in Inter Miami’s 2-0 win over Austria at Dallas Stadium. That took him to 18 World Cup goals, moving past Miroslav Klose’s men’s record of 16 and Marta’s all-time mark of 17 to stand alone at the top.

“When the ‌team was having a rough time without the ball he worked, ‌he managed to steal the ball,” Scaloni said of his former teammate. “You could see his level of commitment.

“There's a reason for that, he has commitment and this is what ‌he generates. I have no more words to talk ⁠about Leo. It makes us a ‌little bit tired talking about him all the time.”

Messi had one blemish on the night when he missed a penalty in the 8th minute. But half an hour later he broke the deadlock, and that goal alone pushed him past Klose to become the World Cup’s most prolific scorer ever.

Even with just a 1-0 lead, Argentina were barely tested at the back. Emi Martínez only had to make one real save before Messi’s relentless drive gave him a second in the 5th minute of stoppage time.

“It had been complex,” Scaloni said of the challenge presented by Ralf Rangnick's side. “We had the peace of mind we needed toward the end. I'm so happy with Leo's ‌performance, he scored again when we are suffering.

“The team did suffer today, at times they were creating difficulties and we didn't have possession. We know how to suffer and that's something praiseworthy as a team.

“The team knows how to behave at all times. This was an opponent that had very tall players, that posed a challenge. No one thought this would be easy. The two matches we have had so far have been complex.”

Two straight wins in Group J have already sealed Argentina’s spot in the knockout stage. And Scaloni still believes the defending champions have what it takes to go deep when the tournament gets serious.

“This World Cup has nothing to do with ‌playing favourites or the players in the national teams,” he said. “There are other elements at play, the levels of fitness, the emotional element.

“There are so many teams that can win, one of the big ones will win. We will be there, 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.”