Dallas, June 29, 2026 – The Europe Today: Argentina secured a 3-1 victory over Jordan in their final group-stage match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Dallas, with captain Lionel Messi coming off the bench to score his sixth goal of the tournament and set a new World Cup record.
Messi curled home a stunning free-kick in the 80th minute, becoming the first player to score in seven consecutive FIFA World Cup matches. The goal further strengthened his position at the top of the adidas Golden Boot standings with six goals, two ahead of Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Vinícius Júnior, and Erling Haaland.
Having already secured top spot in the group, Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni made nine changes to the starting lineup following Monday’s 2-0 victory over Austria, with Messi beginning the match on the bench before being introduced shortly after the hour mark.
Argentina opened the scoring early through Giovani Lo Celso, who converted a superbly struck free-kick. Lautaro Martínez then doubled the lead from the penalty spot to put the South American side firmly in control.
Jordan, already eliminated from the tournament, produced a spirited response after the break. Mousa Al-Tamari reduced the deficit with a clinical finish from Ehsan Haddad’s cross, giving the Jordanian supporters a moment to celebrate.
However, Messi’s trademark free-kick restored Argentina’s two-goal advantage and sealed another impressive victory for the reigning world champions.
Argentina will now face Cabo Verde in the Round of 32 in Miami on Friday as they continue their pursuit of the FIFA World Cup 2026 title.
