'I kicked it badly!' - Lionel Messi 'very angry' about shock missed penalty vs Austria despite Argentina captain bouncing back to beat World Cup goals record

The defending champions secured their passage to the knockout rounds in Texas despite their captain uncharacteristically pulling an eigth-minute penalty wide of the post. It marked Messi's third non-shootout failure from the spot in tournament history, a statistical low point he quickly amended. The veteran forward recovered to break the deadlock before the interval and added a clinical second in second-half stoppage time, taking his tally to five goals in just two matches at the current tournament.

The talismanic playmaker was left stewing over his poor execution from 12 yards out before rallying his team-mates.

Messi said: "Today there was a moment where I was very angry about the penalty because I missed it. I kicked it very badly, and well, luckily we were able to turn that situation around, take the lead and get the three points, which is what's important.

"Obviously it was in our plans getting the victory. We knew it wouldn't be easy, especially how the World Cup is unfolding. Every game is hard, no one gives away anything. It's true that they didn't hurt us but it was a jammed match, very intense where it was difficult to play. They played very fast. But the important part was classification."

By hitting his 17th and 18th World Cup goals, Messi surpassed German striker Miroslav Klose to stand alone at the pinnacle of football history. His clinical performance guided Argentina to the summit of Group J, relieving immense pressure ahead of their final group assignment.

Despite the historic personal accolades, the veteran attacker remained grounded, adding: "It's always in our plans to win all of our games. We are Argentina, and we look to win against every rival, but we know it's not easy and we have to do it on the pitch - and today, Argentina did it. It cost us to have the long spells of possession that we wanted. They didn't really hurt us, but it was a very tight game and they played very quickly.

"I am happy with how the games went down and especially the victory. We were able to get the six points, qualifying to the round-of-32 was one of the first objectives. And qualifying in first.

"Now, it'll be a chill week knowing we got the first objective. Nothing, we think about what comes next. And yes, I experience it as something special, as I always do. As I said before, I enjoy playing and having a good time on the pitch."

Lionel Scaloni's side will conclude their opening group stage obligations with a final match against Jordan on Saturday, searching to protect their flawless tournament form. With qualification securely under wraps, the coaching staff can comfortably rotate their star-studded squad to preserve energy for the intense knockout phases.

A projected round-of-32 clash against the runners-up of Group H looms large, potentially setting up a blockbuster early meeting with European heavyweights Spain in the next round.