Argentina rest captain Lionel Messi for World Cup group finale against Jordan
Argentina captain Lionel Messi will start on the bench for their final World Cup 2026 Group J match against Jordan as manager Lionel Scaloni opts to manage the forward’s fitness.
The defending champions have enjoyed a flawless start to the tournament, securing comfortable victories over Algeria and Austria.
Central to that early success has been the 39-year-old, who has already netted five times in just two appearances.
Golden Boot battle
Despite his sensational form, Scaloni has decided to restrict his talisman’s workload ahead of the knockout stages.
“Leo Messi will be on the bench against Jordan. He will have minutes in the second half,” stated Scaloni.
This tactical decision means the former Barcelona star may momentarily lose ground in the race for the Golden Boot.
He currently leads the tournament scoring charts, sitting one goal clear of France attacking duo Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele.
All-time records on the line
The Albiceleste’s captain also holds a narrow advantage in the history books over his former Paris St-Germain team-mate.
He currently sits as the World Cup’s all-time record goalscorer with 18 goals, while Mbappe is closely behind on 16.
A second-half cameo against Jordan will still present an opportunity to extend that historic tally before the business end of the competition begins.
