Lionel Messi World Cup 2026 stats and odds: Argentina captain 10/3 to score the first goal against Austria

Argentina's World Cup title defence could hardly have begun in more emphatic fashion, with Lionel Messi rolling back the years to inspire a 3-0 victory over Algeria in their Group J opener.

The Argentine captain delivered a masterclass on the occasion of his 200th international appearance, scoring a hat-trick to pick up exactly where he left off in Qatar four years ago and underline his enduring brilliance on football's grandest stage.

At 38, Messi became the first player in history to feature at six World Cups, and his treble carried further significance. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner moved level with Miroslav Klose on 16 World Cup goals, taking another step towards cementing his place among the tournament's greatest-ever players.

Ahead of Argentina's second group-stage encounter with Austria, we have detailed Messi's standout stats and odds below.

Lionel Messi World Cup 2026 stats

• Appearances: 1
• Goals: 3
• Assists: 0
• Yellow cards: 0
• Red cards: 0
• Shots per game: 6
• Pass success: 81%
• Ground duels won: 3
• Fouls won: 1
• Fouls committed: 1
• Key passes: 2
• Tackles won: 2 (2)
• Passes per game: 37
• Distance covered: 7km

With his hat-trick against Algeria, Messi has surged to the top of the Golden Boot standings, although the race remains tightly packed with Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland all just one goal behind on two.

The spotlight will inevitably follow the Argentina captain into the clash with Austria, where he has the opportunity to move clear of Klose and become the outright leading goalscorer in World Cup history.

Unsurprisingly, the bookmakers expect him to be at the heart of the action once again, with Messi being priced at 10/3 (4.33) to score the opening goal of the match, a market that could appeal given the form he displayed in Argentina's tournament opener.

Lionel Messi World Cup 2026 odds

The following are selected standout individual odds for Messi in Argentina's World Cup 2026 group game against Austria:

• To score anytime: 11/10
• To make an assist: 11/4
• To score last: 3/1
• To score first: 10/3
• To score a hat-trick: 33/1
• To score 2+ goals: 7/1
• To be shown a card: 11/1
• To be sent off: 100/1
• To score or assist: 1/2
• To be booked first: 33/1

Messi's hat-trick against Algeria makes several of his player markets particularly attractive ahead of the Austria clash. The Argentina captain is priced at 11/10 to score anytime and 1/2 to score or assist, both of which look appealing given he was involved in all three goals in the opening match.

Punters seeking bigger returns could consider Messi to score first at 10/3 or score last at 3/1, while 7/1 for 2+ goals may also catch the eye after his devastating display against Algeria.