Argentina did not necessarily need Lionel Messi to beat Jordan in Dallas. The crowd still came alive when he entered, and the match still bent toward him before the final whistle.
The defending champions beat Jordan 3 to 1 to complete a perfect Group J campaign with 9 points from 9. Giovani Lo Celso opened the scoring with a curling free kick in the 19th minute. Lautaro Martinez doubled the lead from the penalty spot 12 minutes later. Jordan, playing in its 1st World Cup, refused to disappear quietly and pulled 1 back through Mousa Altamari after halftime.
Then Messi arrived off the bench and changed the frame of the night. His 80th-minute free kick made him the 1st player to score in 7 consecutive World Cup matches, a streak that began against Australia in Qatar in 2022 and has now stretched across 2 tournaments.
Scaloni Rotates, But Argentina Still Controls The Match
Scaloni made 9 changes from the side that beat Austria. Lionel Messi, Alexis Mac Allister, Rodrigo De Paul, and Cristian Romero all began on the bench, yet Argentina still controlled the ball and tempo. The numbers showed it clearly. Argentina finished with 73 percent possession and completed 737 passes at 92 percent accuracy, forcing Jordan to defend for long stretches.
Lo Celso looked sharp from the opening minutes. He won the free kick that produced the 1st goal, then took it himself from 20 meters. His left-footed strike curled around the Jordan wall and into the opposite corner as goalkeeper Yazeed Abulaila shifted the wrong way.
Martinez nearly added another soon after, striking the crossbar from close range. The pressure continued when Leandro Paredes was caught by Nizar Alrashdan while stooping for the rebound. After a VAR review, the referee pointed to the spot. Martinez rolled his penalty into the corner as Abulaila guessed the other way.
For Scaloni, the value was obvious. Lo Celso and Martinez found the back of the net on a night built around rotation, not maximum force.
Jordan Finds A Moment In Its Historic Finale
Jordan arrived at its final group match already eliminated, but its response after halftime gave the night more edge. The debutants did not fold after falling 2 goals behind. They pushed higher, found space on the right, and finally broke Argentina’s defensive run at this tournament.
Ehsan Haddad created the goal with a smart low ball across the face of the goal. Altamari met it in the middle and finished with his left foot, sending the shot into the top left corner. It was Jordan’s best passage of the match and the 1st goal Argentina had conceded at the 2026 finals.
That moment mattered beyond the score. Jordan left the tournament without a point, but not without a marker. Scoring against the defending champions in a 1st World Cup appearance gave the squad something real to take forward.
Argentina also received a reminder. Their control had softened. Jordan punished the space. In a knockout match, that kind of lapse carries far more weight.
Messi Turns A Managed Cameo Into A Record
Messi entered on the hour mark to a roar that changed the atmosphere inside Dallas Stadium. Argentina had already done most of the work, but the match still had tension after Jordan’s goal. Messi removed it in the 80th minute.
He was fouled 25 meters from goal, central enough to make the wall nervous and close enough to make Abulaila guess. Messi picked himself up and struck a low free kick with his left foot. The ball bent around the wall and skidded through as the goalkeeper reacted late.
It was Messi’s 6th goal of the tournament and his 19th overall at the World Cups. More importantly, it pushed him past Just Fontaine and Jairzinho for the longest scoring streak in World Cup history. Fontaine scored in 6 consecutive matches for France in 1958. Jairzinho did the same for Brazil in 1970. Messi now stands alone at 7.
Argentina did not empty the tank in Dallas. The champions advanced with 3 wins, a plus-7 goal difference, Mac Allister and Romero spared heavy minutes, and their captain was still decisive despite reduced minutes.
Cape Verde waits in Miami in the round of 32. Scaloni’s message after the match was simple: “Now the good part is coming.” For Argentina, the group stage is finished. The real test starts now.
READ MORE: Why Lionel Messi’s missed penalty against Austria made his World Cup Record even sweeter
FAQs
Q1. Why did Lionel Messi start on the bench against Jordan?
A. Lionel Scaloni rotated his lineup because Argentina had already advanced. Messi came on around the hour mark and still scored late.
Q2. What record did Messi break against Jordan?
A. Messi became the 1st player to score in 7 consecutive World Cup matches. His streak began against Australia in 2022.
Q3. Who scored for Argentina against Jordan?
A. Giovani Lo Celso, Lautaro Martinez, and Lionel Messi scored for Argentina. Messi sealed the 3 to 1 win with a free kick.
Q4. Did Jordan score against Argentina?
A. Yes. Mousa Altamari scored after halftime from Ehsan Haddad’s low cross. It was Argentina’s 1st goal conceded at the tournament.
Q5. Who does Argentina play next?
A. Argentina plays Cape Verde in Miami in the round of 32. The match starts their knockout stage campaign.
Front row energy everywhere I go. Chasing championships and good times. 🏆🏁✨
