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Argentina's Lionel Messi (10) celebrates scoring his side's first goal against Austria with teammates during the World Cup Group J soccer match in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, on June 22, 2026. Tony Gutierrez/AP Photo
The star in Dallas today wasn’t on a Cowboys helmet.
Lionel Messi’s goal in the 38th minute and then another in second-half stoppage time on June 22 put his Argentina team atop Group J with a 2–0 win over Austria, securing a place in the knockout phase of the World Cup.
Aaron Gifford has written for several daily newspapers, magazines, and specialty publications and also served as a federal background investigator and Medicare fraud analyst. He graduated from the University at Buffalo and is based in Upstate New York.
