FIFA World Cup 2026: Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe Set for Crucial Matches Today as Argentina Face Austria, France Meet Iraq
- By Thetripurapost Sports Desk, Houston, USA
- Jun 22, 2026
- 119
The excitement of the FIFA World Cup 2026 continues as global football icons Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe prepare to lead their respective teams in crucial group-stage encounters on Monday. Defending champions Argentina will take on Austria at Dallas Stadium, while France are set to face Iraq at Philadelphia Stadium.
Argentina's clash against Austria is scheduled to kick off at 10:30 PM ET. Fans across the world will be eager to see whether Lionel Messi can continue his sensational form after scoring a hat-trick in Argentina's opening match.
France, led by captain Kylian Mbappe, will begin their match against Iraq at 2:30 AM. Other fixtures of the day include Norway vs Senegal at 5:30 AM and Jordan vs Algeria at 8:30 AM.
Argentina vs Austria: Messi-Led Champions Chase Back-to-Back Wins
Defending FIFA World Cup champions Argentina enter the Group J contest with confidence following a convincing 3-0 victory over Algeria. Lionel Messi was the star performer, netting all three goals in the opening fixture.
Austria also enjoyed a winning start, defeating Jordan 3-1. Historically, Argentina and Austria have met twice in international friendlies. Argentina secured a dominant 5-1 victory in 1980, while their 1990 encounter ended in a 1-1 draw.
Argentina will once again depend on captain Lionel Messi, along with midfield engine Rodrigo De Paul and striker Julian Alvarez. Austria's hopes will rest on experienced stars David Alaba and Marcel Sabitzer.
France vs Iraq: Mbappe Aims to Continue Winning Momentum
France and Iraq will face each other for the first time in international football history in this Group I encounter.
France began their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with an impressive 3-1 win over Senegal. Iraq, however, suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat against Norway in their opening game.
French captain Kylian Mbappe is expected to spearhead the attack, while goalkeeper Mike Maignan will be crucial in defence. Iraq will rely on striker Ayman Hussein to capitalize on counter-attacking opportunities.
Norway vs Senegal: Haaland in Focus
Norway and Senegal are set for their first-ever FIFA World Cup meeting. Norway come into the match in red-hot form after defeating Iraq 4-1, with Erling Haaland scoring a stunning hat-trick.
Senegal, meanwhile, will look to bounce back after losing 3-1 to France in their opening match.
Norway's attacking strength lies in the partnership between Erling Haaland and captain Martin Odegaard. Senegal will pin their hopes on experienced forward Sadio Mane and striker Nicolas Jackson.
Jordan vs Algeria: Both Teams Desperate for First Points
Jordan and Algeria head into their Group J encounter seeking their first points of the FIFA World Cup 2026 after suffering defeats in their opening matches.
Jordan lost 3-1 against Austria, while Algeria were beaten 3-0 by Argentina.
The two nations have met three times previously. Algeria recorded a 6-0 victory in 1974, Jordan won 2-1 in 1988, and their most recent meeting in 2004 ended in a 1-1 draw.
The upcoming fixture will mark the first-ever FIFA World Cup blockbuster-matches between the two Arab nations. Jordan will look towards Ali Olwan and Musa Al-Taamari, while Algeria will rely on Riyad Mahrez and Amine Gouiri to inspire a turnaround.
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