Lionel Messi Messi Being Rested? Argentine To Start On Bench Against Jordan

Last Updated:June 27, 2026, 09:08 IST

Lionel Messi will start on the bench against Jordan as Argentina rotate after sealing top spot, with Scaloni managing his captain ahead of the knockout stage.

Even the greatest need their rest.

Lionel Messi will begin Argentina’s final FIFA World Cup Group J match against Jordan on the bench, with coach Lionel Scaloni opting to rest his captain after the defending champions sealed top spot and qualification to the knockout stage.

“Leo will come on later and I’ve already confirmed the team, but we’re going to announce it tomorrow," Scaloni told reporters on Friday.

Argentina have made light work of Group J, beating Austria 2-0 and Algeria 3-0 to secure maximum points and guarantee first place with a game to spare.

With Jordan already eliminated, Scaloni is expected to rotate his squad and give several fringe players an opportunity before the knockout rounds.

Even with limited minutes expected on Saturday, Messi remains the tournament’s biggest star. The Argentina captain, who celebrated his 39th birthday on Wednesday, has scored all five of his team’s goals so far, becoming the outright leading scorer in FIFA World Cup history.

Argentina will now turn their attention to the last 32, where they will face Group H runners-up Cape Verde after the tournament debutants completed a stunning qualification campaign.

Left-back Nicolas Tagliafico believes Messi is showing no signs of slowing down despite nearing 40.

“He’s at the very exact same level as in 2022, or even better, I would say," the 33-year-old said.

Argentina’s camp also took time to celebrate Messi’s birthday, with players surprising their captain by wearing specially designed T-shirts in his honour and presenting him with a cake.

“I think that this was something quite beautiful," Tagliafico said.

“At the end of the day these are just small details.

“You know (how it is) when you have to live together for such a long time, when you see everybody’s faces every single day.

“We had a ball, we just had a blast."

With qualification already secured, Argentina’s focus is firmly on staying fresh for the knockout stages, where Messi and company will first face Cape Verde.

(with AFP inputs)

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Siddarth Sriram

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His...Read More

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