Messi Rested
Argentina Rests Lionel Messi for Final Group Game Against Jordan, Prioritizing Rotation
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Key Points
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Argentina's current streak under Scaloni is the longest World Cup run with the same coach, surpassing the seven-game run set by Bilardo in 1986.
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Messi celebrated his 39th birthday with teammates wearing special T-shirts and a cake ahead of the Jordan game, highlighting morale and camaraderie.
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Argentina are applying load management, with Messi set to be rested in the group finale due to a crowded schedule of five matches in 17 days and prior hamstring concerns.
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Nicolas Tagliafico said Messi is at the same level as 2022, if not better, underscoring sustained peak form.
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Jordan, ranked 68th entering the tournament, are aiming to become the lowest-ranked side ever to defeat Argentina, a historic footnote around the match.
Lionel Scaloni confirmed that Lionel Messi will start on the bench when Argentina faces Jordan on June 27 in Dallas NDTV Profit. The move is a deliberate rest decision — not injury-related — as the defending champions have already locked up first place in Group J with a perfect six points and a spotless defensive record Yahoo Sports.
Messi, who turned 39 on June 24, leads the tournament with five goals scored in just two matches Dainik Jagran. Scaloni said the call is about rewarding teammates who have "worked hard in training" and keeping the squad fresh for the knockout rounds ahead Head Topics.
Messi's Record-Breaking Run Makes Rest Possible
Messi has been in electric form. He scored a hat-trick against Algeria on June 16, then added two more goals against Austria on June 22 NDTV Profit. That Austria brace pushed his career World Cup total to 18 goals — the most in history, surpassing Germany's Miroslav Klose, who had 16.
Defender Nicolas Tagliafico summed up the mood in camp simply. "Leo is at the same level as 2022, if not better," he said Zamin. Scaloni expects Messi to enter the Jordan match as a substitute, playing roughly the final 20 to 30 minutes to stay sharp without burning energy Head Topics.
Five Matches in 17 Days Drives Argentina's Load Management
The 2026 World Cup is the first with 48 teams, and the schedule is brutal. Argentina must play five matches in just 17 days to reach the later rounds Dainik Jagran. Scaloni has also managed Messi carefully because of minor hamstring issues the star dealt with earlier in the 2025–26 club season.
Scaloni's approach is working. Argentina have conceded zero goals so far in the tournament NDTV Profit. The coach insists his side will "maintain the same playing style" no matter who starts — a sign of deep trust in his squad Yahoo Sports.
Scaloni's Nine-Game Streak Breaks a 1986 Record
The Jordan match will be Scaloni's ninth consecutive World Cup game as head coach. That breaks the record set by Carlos Bilardo, who led Argentina through seven straight matches during the famous 1986 title run Head Topics. No other Argentine coach has come close to that mark.
The birthday celebrations added to the strong team spirit. On June 24, teammates gave Messi a cake and wore special commemorative T-shirts during training NDTV Profit. Analysts note that morale in the Argentine camp is "exceptionally high" — a key edge for defending champions who can fall into complacency.
Jordan Senses a Rare Opening Against a Rotated Giant
Jordan entered the tournament ranked 68th in the world Zamin. Argentina sit at No. 1. Jordan are already eliminated, but a win would make them the lowest-ranked side ever to beat Argentina — a historic footnote that gives their camp genuine motivation.
Ticket prices on secondary markets dipped slightly after news of Messi's benching broke, though AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas remains a near-sellout NDTV Profit. The winner of Group J — Argentina — will next face Cape Verde in the Round of 32 on July 3 in Miami, a city closely tied to Messi through his club Inter Miami Head Topics.
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