Messi to Start on the Bench as Argentina Rest Stars Against Jordan

Argentina, already assured of first place and a place in the knockout stage, will rotate its lineup for its final World Cup group match against Jordan. Coach Lionel Scaloni confirmed overnight that Lionel Messi will begin on the bench, though he said the captain is expected to come on in the second half.

Argentine media had reported before the decision that Messi wanted to play against Jordan on Sunday morning, Israel time, at 5:00 a.m. in Texas, even if only for a few minutes. But Scaloni said the staff did not want to take any risks ahead of the knockout rounds.

At his news conference, Scaloni said, “This is a good opportunity to see players who have not had many minutes so far,” adding that the staff would assess their fitness and see whether they can be integrated later. He said Jordan is “a good team” that lost to Algeria only late in the match, and stressed that Argentina would not underestimate anyone. He said the plan is to control the game through possession and noted that Argentina’s three forwards are very fast.

Scaloni also left open the possibility of a tactical change, saying Argentina could alter its formation if needed. He pointed out that Jordan plays with five defenders and said his team must be ready for any challenge. Messi has started the 2026 World Cup in superb form, scoring a hat trick against Algeria and a brace against Austria, moving him to the top of the tournament’s all-time scoring list with 18 goals, ahead of Miroslav Klose and Kylian Mbappe, who has 16 and is chasing him in this World Cup.