Lionel Messi stars off the bench as Argentina beats Jordan 3-1; JOR vs ARG Full player ratings

Giovani Lo Celso became the first Argentine player other than Lionel Messi to score at this World Cup as the defending champions ended the group stage with a three-match sweep after a 3-1 win over Jordan on Saturday evening.

Lo Celso put Argentina ahead in his first World Cup start when he scored from a direct free kick in the 19th minute. Messi added one himself after entering the match in the second half, and the top scorer in World Cup history extended his tally to 19 goals.

Messi, the tournament’s leader with six goals, was one of nine Argentine starters substituted from the previous match as Group J had already qualified before the match. He came on in the 60th minute, three days after his 39th birthday, and in the same stadium where he broke the score last Monday, scoring in the 80th minute.

Their captain had scored all five of Argentina’s goals in wins over Algeria and Austria, including his first-ever World Cup hat-trick and then two goals in his record-breaking match on Monday. He scored in seven consecutive World Cup matches, breaking the tie with Frenchman Just Fontaine and Brazilian great Jairzinho for the longest streak of all time.

With input from AP

Published on June 28, 2026