Lionel Messi will not start in Argentina’s 2026 World Cup group final against Jordan

Lionel Messi, the top scorer in World Cup history, will not start as defending champions and Group J winners Argentina play Jordan in their final match before the knockout stages on Saturday evening.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said on Friday, two days after Messi’s 39th birthday, that the team captain will start the match on the bench, but also indicated through an interpreter that he will «come in a little later.»

Scaloni did not say when Messi might come on in the match, or what his line-up would be against Jordan, playing for the first time at the World Cup, who lost their first two matches.

Messi scored all five goals for Argentina in the first two group matches and has now scored a total of 18 goals in his six World Cups. He had his first ever hat-trick in the tournament in a 3–0 win over Algeria, equaling Germany’s Miroslav Klose’s scoring record with 16 goals. He broke that milestone with the goals in a 2-0 win over Austria on Monday at the home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys – where the group final will be played.

EXAMPLE – ARGENTINA vs. JORDAN

Klose played 24 World Cup matches for Germany, completing his fourth tournament by winning the 2014 final 1-0 in extra time against Messi and Argentina. Kylian Mbappe equaled Klose at 16 with two goals in France’s 3-0 win over Iraq later on Monday. Mbappé, who scored four goals in the tournament, failed to score in his final group match in a 4-1 win over Norway on Friday.

Considered by many to be the greatest player of all time, Messi made 201 appearances for Argentina, including a FIFA record 28 World Cup appearances. He has scored in six consecutive World Cup appearances, joining French striker Just Fontaine and Brazilian great Jairzinho as the only players to do so.

Messi had been dealing with a minor hamstring injury while playing for Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami, which delayed him in the run-up to the World Cup.

Although there has been no indication of trouble since then, Argentina still has many games left if it wants to reach another World Cup final. The knockout round for La Albiceleste begins next Friday in South Florida, and in this expanded 48-team tournament, that would be the first of five matches in 17 days if they reach the finals on July 19.

Published on June 27, 2026