FIFA World Cup 2026 results roundup Day 12: Lionel Messi becomes all-time World Cup top scorer, Haaland and Mbappé shine
World Cup 2026 results: Defending champions Argentina took on Austria, and Algeria faced Jordan in Group J. France looked to reach the next round against Iraq, while Norway hoped for the same when they faced Senegal.
Argentina 2-0 Austria
Lionel Messi surpassed Germany’s Miroslav Klose to become the highest goal scorer in World Cup history in the 2-0 win over Austria in Dallas. With this win, the holders are also through to the Round of 32.
Fresh off a hat trick in the opening game against Algeria, he had the chance to continue his scoring streak after a penalty was awarded in the 8th minute. Lautaro Martinez was brought down by Xaver Schlager and Stefan Posch in the box, and Messi stepped up to take the spot kick. But the talismanic forward dragged his penalty wide of the goal.
Argentina kept playing with the confidence of the champions, and in the 38th minute, the first goal arrived. Facundo Medina’s cutback was met by Messi, who curled a lovely finish past Alexander Schlager just from the edge of the box. In the second half, the game became more subdued, but Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez had to push away a powerful Marcel Sabitzer free kick. Still, La Albiceleste remained in control and didn’t let Austria get back into the game.
Then in stoppage time, they wrapped up the points. On a counterattack, Julian Alvarez was denied by Schlager, but the ball was played to Messi, who, after seeing his first attempt being blocked, riffled the ball past two defenders to score his 18th World Cup goal and seal progress.
France 3-0 Iraq
Kylian Mbappe continued his impressive World Cup goal-scoring form after netting yet another brace against Iraq in Group I. While Lionel Messi is the record goal scorer in the tournament’s history with 18 goals, Mbappe is chasing him down fast and is now on 16 goals.
France were frustrated by Senegal in the opening game for large parts before finally finding the breakthrough. But against Iraq, they began in dominant fashion and were ahead in the 14th minute. Mbappe played a one-two with Michael Olise and scored a sensational left-footed curler past goalkeeper Ahmed Basil into the far corner from the edge of the penalty box.
The first hydration break appeared to slow down the 2022 runners-up as the Lions of Mesopotamia grew in confidence with Ali Al-Hamadi heading just wide as the first half came to an end. The match at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, then saw lightning strikes delay the start of the second half by more than two hours.
Once action resumed, it was the Les Bleus who made a lightning-quick start. In the 54th minute, the Iraq goalkeeper failed to control a short pass from Zaid Tahseen, which allowed Ousmane Dembele to pounce and set up Mbappe for his 16th World Cup goal. Dembele then sealed his team’s progress to the next round with a low strike into the bottom corner in the 66th minute. Iraq did have a chance to grab a late goal but saw Al Hamdi shoot just wide.
Norway 3-2 Senegal
Erling Haaland continued a dream debut World Cup and scored two more goals to help Norway to a 3-2 win over Senegal. The Manchester City striker has taken his club form to the biggest stage and has seen his side through to the next round.
The Landslaget had a dominant first-half display and could have been out of sight in the first 45 minutes if not for Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. The 34-year-old keeper saved a header from Kristoffer Ajer and then saved Martin Odegaard’s precise effort to keep his side in the game. But in the 43rd minute, their resistance was finally broken. An error by Kalidou Koulibaly allowed Marcus Pederson to latch on and finish past Mendy to make it 1-0.
Three minutes into the second half, Haaland doubled his side’s lead with a powerful finish after receiving a penetrating through ball from Odegaard. But the Lions of Teranga pulled a goal back after Sadio Mane deftly passed to Ismaila Sarr, and the Crystal Palace man swept the ball home. Haaland then restored his side’s two-goal advantage in the 58th minute after scoring a side-foot volley, which went in off the crossbar. They had more chances to score but failed to extend their lead. Sarr’s injury time goal came too late as Norway won back-to-back games.
Norway will now face France with the enticing Haaland vs. Mbappe matchup looming. Senegal, meanwhile, need to win against Iraq on June 26 to have any hopes of reaching the knockout stages.
Algeria 2-1 Jordan
Algeria came from a goal down to beat World Cup debutants Jordan and keep their hopes alive of reaching the Round of 32. The result also meant they had their first win at a World Cup since beating South Korea 4-2 in the 2014 edition.
An even first half saw both teams create chances, with Jordan’s defensive discipline and counterattacking threat troubling the African side. Algeria then saw themselves surprisingly behind after Nizar Al Rashdan finished neatly from inside the box in the 36th minute. The Desert Warriors had never come back to win a World Cup match after conceding the first goal on 10 such previous occasions.
But they rewrote history in the second half. A Riyad Mahrez corner in the 69th minute was brilliantly headed in by Nadhir Benbouali to bring them level. Nicknamed the Chivalrous Ones, Jordan continued to defend stoutly but were undone from another corner. Eight minutes from time, Benbouali’s downward header was poked home by Amine Gouiri to give his nation their first points at this World Cup.
Algeria will now be confident of progress when they face Austria on June 28 in the Group J clash, while Jordan end their first World Cup campaign against Argentina on the same day.
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