DALLAS — The Lionel Messi show rolls into Dallas with the Argentine maestro on the cusp of more footballing history when the World Cup holders face Austria on Monday.

Messi, who turns 39 on Wednesday, scored a hat-trick in a 3-0 win over Algeria to pull level with Miroslav Klose’s all-time World Cup record of 16 goals.

The skipper broke down in tears after his first goal, and it later emerged that his father is recovering from an unspecified “health issue”.

Inter Miami attacker Messi had not even committed to playing the tournament in North America until the last moment.

But nobody realistically expected him to be absent from spearheading Argentina’s attempt to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back World Cup crowns.

The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain wizard dragged his country to World Cup glory four years ago, and the lure of representing his nation once again on the biggest stage proved irresistible.

The impressive air-conditioned home of the Dallas Cowboys for Argentina’s second group game against Austria would be the perfect stage for Messi to break Klose’s record.