Will Lionel Messi play tonight for Argentina vs Jordan in FIFA World Cup 2026?
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Messi is currently the top scorer in the competition.
Argentina will have nothing to lose going into their last group match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. After winning their previous two group stage encounters, with captain Lionel Messi scoring all the goals for them, they are likely to rest starters.
The defending World Cup winners have already booked their place in the knockout stage. They are likely to play their B team in the last group game.
Hence, we are expected to see many rotations. The 2026 World Cup top scorer, Lionel Messi, is set to be on the bench. Manager Lionel Scaloni announced that Messi won’t be in the starting lineup to face Jordan.
Scaloni comments on Lionel Messi’s availability against Jordan
Coach Lionel Scaloni confirmed that Lionel Messi will start from the substitutes’ bench in Argentina’s last group stage game against Jordan on Saturday. Before the game at AT&T Stadium on Friday, Scaloni stated at a press conference.
“Leo will be a substitute tomorrow, to play later. We’ll announce the team tomorrow. The decision of who starts tomorrow is not in relation to the opponent we’ll face in the next round,” Scaloni added.
Argentina won Group J and advanced to the round of 32 after beating Austria and Algeria. They end their group fixtures with a game against Jordan. The latter will be eliminated from the competition if they fail to win against La Albiceleste.
Meanwhile, Lionel Messi added two more goals against Austria after scoring a hat trick against Algeria. With five goals in the first two games, he broke the record for the most goals in men’s World Cup history with 18 goals. It makes him the highest goal scorer in this competition.
However, he will be keen to add more to his tally when he comes off the bench against Jordan. The Inter Miami star continues his place at the top in the Golden Boot race.
How many goals has Lionel Messi scored in the 2026 World Cup?
He has scored five goals.
Who is the top scorer of the 2026 World Cup?
Lionel Messi, with five goals.
Where do Argentina stand in their group?
They are at the top of Group J.
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After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.