Argentina may rest most starters against Jordan, with Messi's role still unclear

Argentina is expected to make sweeping changes for its final group-stage match against Jordan, according to reports in the country. After opening the World Cup with two clean-sheet wins, 3-0 over Algeria and 2-0 over Austria, coach Lionel Scaloni is said to be planning to alter almost the entire starting lineup, keeping only one or two players from the previous matches.

One player almost certain to keep his place is goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez. The colorful keeper reportedly wants to play in every World Cup match and was one of Argentina's key figures in its 2022 title run.

Lionel Messi is the other player with a chance to start, but his status remains uncertain. The report says the captain is expected to feature against Jordan, though it is not yet clear whether he will begin the match and be substituted later or start on the bench.

The discussion in Argentina centers on how aggressively Scaloni will rotate after securing six points from the first two rounds. The match against Jordan will close the group stage, and Messi's minutes, along with the rest of the reshuffled lineup, are still being decided.