More Messi magic on Monday night!
The 2026 FIFA World Cup action rolls on this evening with a cracker in the 6pm slot as defending champions take on Austria in Group J. Lionel Messi sparkled in their opening 3-0 win over Algeria and he’s set for another key role in Arlington.
Ahead of Argentina’s return to action, X’s top tipster Andy Robson delivers three picks as part of a shrewd Argentina v Austria Bet Builder. All of his picks are also covered by Paddy’s Super Sub offer, meaning if a player is withdrawn, any eligible bet carries over to his replacement.
Argentina v Austria Bet Builder tips
Lionel Messi to score
Stefan Posch to be carded
Marcel Sabitzer 1+ shots on target including the woodwork
A Bet Builder with these selections pays approximately 8/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK OR TAP HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP.
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
Andy’s Bet Club is packed with predictions and data-backed Football Tips. You can also get ready for the rest of the tournament with World Cup 2026 Predictions.
WHEN: Monday, June 22nd, 6pm
WHERE: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas.
TV: BBC1/IBBC iPlayer/RTE2
Lionel Messi to score
I have Messi as one of my picks for the Golden Boot, so I was delighted to see him fire in a hat-trick against Algeria to boost him up the rankings, and it doesn’t look like he’ll be slowing down anytime soon.
It’s clear this Argentina side is built around Messi, just as it was in the 2022 World Cup, and that allows the 38-year-old to roam around wherever he wants and not exert too much energy on running, with the leg work carried out by his team-mates who recognise he can win them games if he’s relieved of that burden.
Messi has scored 120 goals across 200 caps for Argentina, which is a remarkable record and one I think he can extend here, building on the success he had in the opening game of the tournament.
Stefan Posch to be carded
Stefan Posch committed three fouls against Jordan and was lucky to avoid a yellow card. He tends to be aggressive in his challenges and his disciplinary record is among the worst in the Austrian squad.
In Austria’s Euro 2024 campaign, Posch averaged 2.5 fouls per 90 minutes and picked up one booking in four matches. That pattern continued in World Cup qualifying, where he’s averaged 2.4 fouls per game. Against a dynamic side like Argentina, Posch could easily be pulled out of position, which may lead to a cynical foul or two.
Austria play with plenty of aggression out of possession, due to the pressing style Ralf Rangnick likes to implement. This can lead to high foul and card counts from Austria, particularly against sides that have a lot of players who are comfortable carrying the ball.
Marcel Sabitzer 1+ shots on target
Sabitzer has always been a significant threat in the box, and tends to play higher for his country, making him a real threat when they’re able to find the former Manchester United man in the box.
Sabitzer had 24 shots in eight starts during qualifying (3.08 per 90), seeing an impressive 16 of those efforts find the target (2.05 per 90). This output resulted in three goals for the Dortmund star, with the underlying numbers showing how effective he is as a box-crasher.
Argentina v Austria tips
Lionel Messi to score
Stefan Posch to be carded
Marcel Sabitzer 1+ shots on target including the woodwork
A Bet Builder with these selections pays approximately 8/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK OR TAP HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP.
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
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