Is Lionel Messi Playing Tonight? Latest News on Argentina Lineup for 2026 World Cup Game vs. Jordan
Argentina will rotate its lineup after sealing qualification, with Messi set to start on the bench and possibly appear later, Scaloni said.
- Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni confirmed captain Lionel Messi will start on the bench for Saturday's FIFA World Cup Group J clash against Jordan, resting his star forward ahead of the knockout rounds.
- The defending champions already qualified for the Round of 32 following victories over Algeria and Austria, leaving nothing at stake in Saturday's Group J finale.
- Messi, who turned 39 on Wednesday, leads the scoring charts with five goals in two games and has reached 18 career World Cup goals, breaking the all-time tournament record.
- Scaloni hinted at offering minutes to Valent, Giovani Lo Celso, Exequiel Palacios, and Guiliano Simeone, saying on Friday that "the great merit of everything that s been done goes to the boys."
- The Inter Miami superstar may still appear from the substitute's bench; Scaloni said "Leo will come in later" as the knockout rounds approach.
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61 Articles
Lionel Messi will not start Argentina's last group match in this 2026 World Cup, which will be his last. His selectioner, Lionel Scaloni, has a habit of not revealing his composition...
We also wrote that Lionel Messi would only play as a substitute in the final group game of the Argentine national team at the World Cup. It has since become clear why national team captain Lionel Scaloni, contrary to his usual habit, revealed this. Well, because 91-year-old Enrique Macaya Márquez asked him, whose special ability is that he has been there as a correspondent since the 1958 World Cup in Sweden. That was the World Cup where Just Fon…
Messi to start on bench as Argentina rests stars before knockout stage
ARLINGTON, Texas — Lionel Messi will start on the bench for Argentina's final World Cup group-stage match against Jordan on Saturday as coach Lionel Scaloni opts to rest several key players ahead of the knockout rounds.Scaloni confirmed Friday that the Argentina captain, who turned 39 earlier this week, is expected to feature later in the match but will not be in the starting lineup."He will come in a little bit later," Scaloni said through an i…
World Cup: Messi benched for Argentina's final group match
Lionel Messi will start on the bench when Argentina take on Jordan in their final Group J match of the FIFA World Cup. The defending champions have already secured qualification for the knockout stage as group winners after victories over Algeria and Austria. Messi has enjoyed a sensational tournament so far, scoring a hat-trick in Argentina’s opening match before adding a brace against Austria. His five goals have taken his World Cup tally to a…
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