Argentina boss Scaloni out of words to describe remarkable Lionel Messi

[p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/inter-miami/0AheRyBg/"]Inter Miami[/a] player's ‌double in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/argentina-f9OppQjp/austria-naHiWdnt/?mid=Cpq2Y2FE"]the 2-0 win[/a] over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/austria/naHiWdnt/"]Austria[/a] at Dallas Stadium took him to 18 World Cup ‌goals, surpassing both [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/klose-miroslav/tO31cZrF/"]Miroslav Klose[/a]'s men's record of 16 and Marta's ‌overall tournament mark of 17 to claim sole possession of the all-time record.[/p][p]"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.[/p][p]"[b]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[/b]."[/p][image alt="Messi stats vs Austria" id="3b076e3b-e450-41a7-9d1e-fc9fc7bdc8f2" credit-line="IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters / Maria Lysaker / Opta by StatsPerform The" guid="b2a740f2-5b32-471a-94d1-d7ea9718e7ba" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/messi-lionel/vgOOdZbd/"]Messi[/a] suffered one blot on his ​performance with an eighth-minute penalty miss but when he opened the scoring half an hour later the goal allowed him to move ​clear of Klose as the World Cup's most successful striker.[/p][p]Despite only holding a one-goal lead, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/argentina/f9OppQjp/"]Argentina[/a] were rarely troubled, with goalkeeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/martinez-emiliano/88Z5NeIl/"]Emi Martinez[/a] making ⁠one save of note before ​Messi's determination secured his second goal five minutes into stoppage time.[/p][p]"It had been complex," Scaloni said of the challenge presented by Ralf Rangnick's side. "[b]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[/b].[/p][p]"[b]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[/b].[/p][p]"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."[/p][p]Back-to-back wins in Group J have already confirmed Argentina's progress into the knockout rounds ‌and Scaloni remains confident the defending champions will be contenders at the business ​end of the tournament.[/p][image alt="Group J standings" id="45faf170-431c-448f-b933-e3cd8ea2d3f9" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="0885dcc2-ff0c-4828-93c0-6054ec7b0678" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]"This World Cup has nothing to do with ‌playing favourites or the players in the national teams," he said. "[b]There are other elements at play, the levels of fitness, the emotional element[/b].[/p][p]"[b]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[/b].[/p][p]"But it will be hard for them facing us."[/p][infobox id="4ccc1b10-d68f-4c97-bcf4-5e613c17c2e3" /]