Lionel Messi makes history yet again as Argentina threaten bizarre Brazil record | OneFootball

Lionel Messi made history again – even from the bench – as Argentina rounded out a perfect World Cup group stage against Jordan.

Only Mexico and France have emerged from the 2026 World Cup groups with three wins from three, but were matched by Argentina as they beat Jordan 3-1.

With qualification to the round of 32 and a tie against Cape Verde already secured, Lionel Scaloni made nine changes to the holders’ starting XI in a match which had no bearing on the final positions in Group J.

Jordan could not hope to finish above either Austria or Algeria following defeats to both in their first World Cup campaign, but were playing for pride and the opportunity to have scored in every game of their tournament debut.

Even with those wholesale alterations, Argentina were heavy favourites as group winners and lived up to that billing with two goals in a dominant opening half an hour.

Giovani Lo Celso, an unused World Cup call-up in 2018 before missing out on the 2022 edition through injury, bamboozled keeper Yazeed Abulaila with a clever free-kick with Messi on the bench.

The current Golden Boot leader and Golden Ball favourite watched on as Lautaro Martinez then did what Messi couldn’t, scoring from a penalty after Marcos Senesi was adjudged to have been fouled during a goalmouth scramble.

Perhaps inevitably, Argentina sat off thereafter with the game seemingly won, but Jordan did not go down without a fight.

It was Musa Al-Taamari who capped a glorious team move with the final touch on a sublime Ehsan Haddad cross as Argentina conceded their first goal of the tournament.

But Messi, as ever, had the final say.

Introduced for a half-hour cameo five minutes later to frenzied excitement at the Dallas Stadium, the Inter Miami forward soon showed his class with some divine touches and mazy runs.

One was stopped only by an Amer Jamous foul, gifting Argentina a free-kick in a similar position from which Lo Celso scored in the first half.

There was little doubt as to who would take this one – Messi stepped up and exposed hapless keeper Abulaila’s positioning once again with a low effort which curled around the wall and into the centre of the net.

With that, he became the first man to ever score in seven consecutive World Cup games, extending his record as the all-time top scorer to 19 goals, and helping Argentina see out their win.

The last team to win the World Cup with a flawless group stage-performance was Brazil in 2002; Argentina will fancy their chances of snapping that streak, especially with a kind draw that pits them against Cape Verde in the last 32, Australia or Egypt if they make it to the last 16, and Switzerland, Algeria, Colombia or Ghana in the quarters if they get that far.

With Messi in this mood, it wouldn’t be wise to back against him or La Albiceleste.