Messi comes off bench as Argentina beat Jordan 3-1 to top Group J

Lionel Messi came off the bench to score his sixth goal of the tournament as Argentina warmed up for their World Cup knockout match with Cape Verde by beating Jordan 3-1 on Saturday. The ageless Messi tops the scoring charts in North America as the tournament heads into the last 32. Cape Verde’s players will be wondering how they can stop Messi when the debutants ranked 67 face the champions on July 3 in Miami. With qualification already in the bag, Messi started on the bench but came on after an hour in Texas to huge cheers to get his side’s third with a free-kick. Argentina finished emphatically top of Group J with maximum points after also beating Algeria 3-0 and defeating Austria 2-0, all those goals coming from Messi. The holders and their 39-year-old talisman look formidable, albeit in one of the weaker groups. Coach Lionel Scaloni said Messi could have played the full game. “But he chose to let his teammates have minutes, he chose to think about what’s coming, and that speaks volume about him,” he said. Giovani Lo Celso, who scored Argentina’s first of the evening, said it had been almost the perfect group stage. “We knew we had very tough opponents, that it wasn’t going to be easy,” he said. “It’s a pity about the goal we conceded today, we would’ve liked to end with a clean sheet. “Still, I think it was a very good group stage. Now the most important part begins. “From now on, it’s about turning the page and thinking about Cape Verde, who will be a very tough opponent.” Fans demand Messi A much-changed Argentina scored in the first half through a Lo Celso free-kick and a penalty by Lautaro Martinez. Mousa Al-Tamari pulled one back 10 minutes after half-time for Jordan, whose first World Cup was already over. Scaloni made nine changes, retaining only goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and forward Lautaro Martinez from the Austria win. Jordan were already eliminated after defeats to Algeria and Austria, rendering the match inconsequential in terms of the tournament. But competition in the Argentina squad is fierce and Scaloni wanted his side to join France and co-hosts Mexico with nine points. Argentina also wanted to make a statement ahead of the meeting with surprise packages Cape Verde as they attempt to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back World Cups. The home of the Dallas Cowboys was packed with Argentina fans and their team dominated from the off. Lo Celso got the party started, bending in a free-kick on 19 minutes that goalkeeper Yazeed Abulaila got nowhere near having inexplicably moved in the opposite direction. A relaxed-looking Messi smiled broadly from the sidelines. Soon after, the champions doubled their lead when Martinez rifled in a penalty following a VAR review when Marcos Senesi appeared to be kicked in the face as he went for a diving header. Minutes after half-time, the crowd began calling for their captain Messi, the leading scorer in World Cup history. As he stripped off to come on, Tamari stabbed in from close range to pull a goal back and stun much of the stadium. The match felt like a friendly after that, before Messi bent in a tame free-kick with 10 minutes left to go with his hat-trick against Algeria and brace versus Austria.

Argentina concluded their group stage with a perfect record, defeating Jordan 3-1. Giovani Lo Celso and Lautaro Martinez found the net before Lionel Messi, coming off the bench, added a historic free-kick goal. This victory secured Argentina's top spot in Group J, setting them up for a Round of 32 clash against Cape Verde.

Lionel Messi came off the bench to score his sixth goal of the tournament as Argentina warmed up for their World Cup knockout tie with Cape Verde by beating Jordan 3-1 on Saturday.

ARLINGTON, United States (AFP) — Lionel Messi came off the bench to score his sixth goal of the tournament as Argentina warmed up for their World Cup knockout tie with Cape Verde by beating Jordan 3-1 on Saturday. The ageless Messi tops the scoring charts in North America as the tournament heads into the last 32. Cape Verde's players will have been watching closely with the debutants ranked 67 facing the champions on July 3 in Miami. With qualification already in the bag, Messi started on the bench but came on after an hour in Texas to huge cheers to get his side's third with a free-kick. Argentina finished emphatically top of Group J with maximum points after also beating Algeria 3-0 and defeating Austria 2-0, all the goals coming from Messi. The holders and their 39-year-old talisman look formidable, albeit in one of the weaker groups. A much-changed Argentina scored in the first half through a Giovani Lo Celso free-kick and a penalty by Lautaro Martinez. Mousa Al-Tamari pulled one back 10 minutes after half-time for Jordan, whose first World Cup was already over. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni made nine changes, retaining only goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and forward Lautaro Martinez from the Austria win. Jordan were already eliminated after defeats to Algeria and Austria, rendering the match inconsequential in terms of the tournament. But competition in the Argentina squad is fierce and Scaloni wanted his side to join France and co-hosts Mexico with nine points. Argentina also wanted to make a statement ahead of the meeting with surprise packages Cape Verde as they attempt to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back World Cups. The home of the Dallas Cowboys was packed with Argentina fans and their team dominated from the off. Lo Celso got the party started, bending in a free-kick on 19 minutes that goalkeeper Yazeed Abulaila got nowhere near having inexplicably moved in the opposite direction. A relaxed-looking Messi smiled broadly from the sidelines. Soon after, the champions doubled their lead when Martinez rifled in a penalty following a VAR review when Marcos Senesi appeared to be kicked in the face as he went for a diving header. Minutes after half-time, the crowd began calling for their captain Messi, the leading scorer in World Cup history. As he stripped off to come on, Tamari stabbed in from close range to pull a goal back and stun much of the stadium. The match felt like a friendly after that, before Messi bent in a tame free-kick with 10 minutes left to go with his hat-trick against Algeria and brace versus Austria.

Give him half an hour and he will leave a mark that lasts for ever. Lionel Messi’s arrival from the bench had preoccupied the overwhelming majority of those under this vast roof, to the extent that the play before it felt almost self-consciously like a prelude. There was no risk, no edge, to an encounter between two sides who knew their fates so why not bask in seeing a little more history being made?Messi knew better than to disappoint. He had been wayward with a free-kick after coming on but, when he won a second 22 yards from goal, the outcome seemed predestined. A whip around the wall, an inordinate amount of bend that meant the ball finished in an almost central position, and the Jordan keeper Yazeed Abulaila could only look on. A sixth goal in three games; a 19th in World Cup football; a first since turning 39. Keep track of the milestones and then get ready for more, because Messi just keeps them coming. Continue reading...

Lionel Messi continued his sensational FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign by coming off the bench to score as Argentina defeated Jordan 3-1 in their final Group J match. The defending champions wrapped up the group stage with a perfect record, collecting nine points from three matches while maintaining their status as one of the tournament favourites. Messi's late free-kick capped another dominant performance as Argentina headed into the Round of 32 on a high.Head coach Lionel Scaloni chose to rest several key players after Argentina had already secured qualification, leaving Messi among the substitutes. Jordan, however, pulled a goal back after Giovani Lo Celso's free-kick and Lautaro Martinez's penalty had given Argentina a comfortable lead, prompting Scaloni to introduce his captain in the second half. Messi made an immediate impact by curling home a superb free-kick in the closing stages to restore Argentina's two-goal cushion.LIONEL MESSI JUST SCORED THE GREATEST FREEKICK GOAL IN HISTORY pic.twitter.com/VZYdSSBCtM— MC (@CrewsMat10) June 28, 2026 Argentina win their group and qualify to RO32 with Austria and Algeria! Jordan are eliminated. ❌ pic.twitter.com/4S8qOt2aSL— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 28, 2026 The goal was another historic milestone for the Argentine legend. It was Messi's sixth goal of the 2026 World Cup and his 19th overall in FIFA World Cup history, extending his record as the competition's all-time leading scorer. The strike also saw him become the first player ever to score in seven consecutive World Cup matches.Argentina's victory ensured they finished top of Group J with three wins from three matches. Even with a heavily rotated lineup, the South American giants controlled most of the contest, while Jordan's lone goal ended Argentina's run of clean sheets in the tournament. The result highlighted the squad's depth and reinforced their ambitions of defending the World Cup title.With the group stage complete, Argentina now turn their attention to the knockout rounds, where they will face Cape Verde in the Round of 32. Having already rewritten the record books, Messi will look to carry his remarkable form into the business end of the tournament as Argentina chase back-to-back FIFA World Cup triumphs.