Lionel Messi expressed his delight after further cementing his reputation as the ultimate World Cup icon by guiding Argentina to a flawless group stage finish at the 2026 finals. The Inter Miami star came off the bench to inspire a 3-1 win over Jordan, ensuring that the defending champions head into the knockout stages with full momentum.

Scaloni rotates the reigning champions

With Argentina already assured of a place in the last 32, coach Lionel Scaloni opted to rest several key players, including Messi. The reigning champions joined Mexico and France as the only teams to progress from the 2026 group phase with a 100 per cent record. Although Jordan were playing purely for pride in their maiden World Cup appearance, they found it difficult to contain Argentina’s depth and control throughout the opening half.

Giovani Lo Celso, who missed the 2022 World Cup triumph due to injury, opened the scoring with a smartly executed free-kick that caught the Jordanian goalkeeper off guard. Lautaro Martinez then converted a penalty after Marcos Senesi was brought down inside a crowded area to double Argentina’s advantage.

Messi makes history from the bench

Even though Messi started the match among the substitutes, it took him only a brief spell on the field to carve out another piece of history. The Argentine captain replaced Martinez in the 60th minute and quickly made his presence felt in the encounter at the Dallas Stadium. With a precise free-kick in the 80th minute, Messi became the first player ever to score in seven consecutive World Cup matches – a record never before achieved in the tournament’s long history.

After the final whistle, the veteran forward shared his emotions on social media, telling supporters: “One more victory to complete the group stage. We're still together…”

The race for the Golden Boot

That goal also extended the 39-year-old’s record as the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history, taking his extraordinary tally to 19 goals. This puts him ahead of Miroslav Klose and Kylian Mbappe, who each have 16, as well as Brazilian great Ronaldo Nazario, who netted 15 across his career.

While Messi continues to stretch his lead at the top of the all-time charts, the battle for the 2026 Golden Boot is intensifying. The Argentine captain now leads with six goals, two clear of Brazil’s Vinicius Junior, France’s Ousmane Dembele and Mbappe, and Norway’s Erling Haaland.

Path to the final opens up

Argentina now look forward to a promising route through the knockout rounds as they aim to defend their world title. By topping their group, they avoid facing the major contenders early on, with potential clashes against Australia or Egypt awaiting them in the round of 16. Before that, however, Argentina’s next challenge comes against Cape Verde in the round of 32 on July 7.