Former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel has criticised the decision to allow Lionel Messi‘s opening goal in Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Austria at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, claiming the effort should have been disallowed for a foul in the build-up.
The match, officiated by Egyptian referee Amin Omar, saw Messi make World Cup history as Argentina secured qualification for the round of 32.
Messi opened the scoring to surpass former Germany striker Miroslav Klose as the competition’s all-time leading scorer, before adding a second goal to take his tally to 18 World Cup goals.
While the milestone was celebrated by Argentina supporters, Schmeichel questioned whether the historic opener should have stood.
The former Denmark international believes a foul occurred earlier in the attacking move when Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister challenged Austria’s Xaver Schlager.
Speaking to Fox Sports after the match, Schmeichel said: “I don’t think that goal should have stood. That’s a free kick. Mac Allister kicked the player to the ground. It should have been a free kick.”
The comments were directed at both the on-field decision and the role of the Video Assistant Referee, which did not intervene before the goal was awarded.
Schmeichel argued that the incident met the threshold for a review and expressed frustration that play was allowed to continue.
“The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) should have reviewed the matter. It is a clear and obvious mistake on the part of the referee, and that is why I am a little frustrated.”
Despite the controversy, the goal stood and proved significant in more ways than one. It not only gave Argentina the lead against Austria but also allowed Messi to move clear of Klose in the World Cup scoring charts.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner later added a second goal as Argentina completed a comfortable victory and booked their place in the knockout phase of the tournament.
The debate surrounding the opening goal is likely to continue, particularly given its historic significance. However, no review was conducted during the match, and the result remains unchanged as Argentina continue their pursuit of another World Cup title.
