The Argentina captain initially missed a penalty early in the match after VAR awarded a spot-kick for a foul on Lautaro Martínez, but he quickly recovered to make his mark on the game.
The 38-year-old opened the scoring with a trademark finish from a low cross delivered by Facundo Medina in the first half. That goal took Messi’s World Cup tally to 17, moving him past Germany’s Miroslav Klose to become the tournament’s all-time leading scorer.
Messi struck again in stoppage time to seal the win and extend his remarkable run of form, taking his total to five goals in just two Group J matches, following a hat-trick in the previous game against Algeria.
Austria, who had opened their campaign with a win over Jordan, competed strongly but struggled to convert their chances in the final third. Despite the defeat, they remain in contention for qualification.
Argentina, meanwhile, top Group J and continue their title defence in strong position as they look ahead to the knockout rounds.
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