Argentina vs Jordan Live Score, FIFA World Cup 2026 Match Scorecard 0-0. Lionel Messi sat out for Argentina’s final group game against Jordan

Jordan has already been kicked out of the tournament, while Argentina has safely entered the knockout stage.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni suggested that Messi, who turned 39 three days earlier, could feature from the bench during the game at AT&T Stadium.

New faces will get their chance

Nicolás Paz was included in the starting lineup after his World Cup debut as a late substitute for Messi in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria in the opening game.

In total, Scaloni made nine changes from the side that beat Austria 2-0 in the previous game.

Messi continues to rewrite World Cup history

Messi has now played 201 international matches for Argentina, including a FIFA-record 28 World Cup matches.

He scored in six consecutive World Cup matches, becoming the third player to achieve the feat after France’s Just Fontaine and Brazilian legend Jairzinho.

Going into the final round of group stage matches, Messi leads the tournament’s scoring chart with five goals, all of Argentina’s goals so far.

He scored his first World Cup hat-trick against Algeria before adding his fifth goal in injury time against Austria.

Record-breaking goal tally

Messi’s two goals against Austria took his overall World Cup tally to 18, breaking the previous record of 16 he shared with Germany great Miroslav Klose.

This will be Messi’s sixth World Cup appearance. Klose played 214 international matches in four World Cups between 2002 and 2014, with his last World Cup goal coming in Germany’s 1-0 win over Argentina in the 2014 final.

France star Kylian Mbappé equaled Klose’s tally of 16 World Cup goals by scoring twice in a 3-0 win over Iraq just hours after Messi broke the record.

Mbappé, who is one of many players with four goals in this tournament, did not score in France’s 4-1 victory over Norway in their last game in the group stage.

Argentina has prepared the challenge of Cape Verde

As winners of Group J, Argentina will now face Cape Verde in the round of 32 this Friday in Miami.

This will be Cape Verde’s first appearance in a knockout match at the FIFA World Cup, while the game will also be played in the hometown of Messi’s MLS club.