Argentina continued their strong run at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a 3-1 victory over Jordan in Group J, with Lionel Messi once again making history by scoring his sixth goal of the tournament.
The match, played in Dallas, saw Argentina take early control through goals from Giovani Lo Celso in the 19th minute and Lautaro Martínez from the penalty spot in the 31st minute after VAR confirmed a foul inside the box. Jordan managed to pull one back in the second half through Mousa Al-Taamari.
However, all attention turned to Messi, who came off the bench in the 80th minute to a huge ovation. Just minutes after entering the pitch, he curled in a brilliant free-kick to score Argentina’s third goal and reach six goals in the tournament.
The strike further extended Messi’s record-breaking World Cup career, taking his overall tally in the competition to 19 goals, the highest in World Cup history.
Coach Lionel Scaloni used the match to rotate his squad after Argentina had already secured qualification for the Round of 32, but the team still maintained their perfect group-stage record with another convincing win.
Argentina now head into the knockout stage full of confidence, with Messi continuing to prove that even at 39 years old, he remains a decisive force on football’s biggest stage.
