Messi to Play, But Later. Scaloni Reveals Argentina's Plans for Jordan Match

Argentina secured early qualification for the knockout stage thanks to victories in their first two matches against Algeria (3-0) and Austria (2-0). This allowed coach Lionel Scaloni to rest Messi from the starting lineup.

"Leo will play, but a bit later. He will definitely come on in the second half. I spoke with him, and it was the best decision to allow his teammates to play as well. It won't hurt him, and it will help the rest of the team," Scaloni stated on the website of the Argentine newspaper Olé.

Initially, Scaloni had an agreement with Messi not to reveal beforehand that he wouldn't start against Jordan. However, legendary Argentine journalist Enrique Macaya Márquez asked about Messi's participation, prompting Scaloni to change his decision.

"I'm answering, but only because I have great respect for this gentleman," the coach said of the 91-year-old journalist, who has attended 18 consecutive World Cups. After the press conference, the "Albiceleste" coach stepped off the stage to embrace Márquez.

The recently turned 39-year-old Messi scored all five of Argentina's goals in their first two matches at the 2026 World Cup. He reached a total of 18 goals, surpassing Germany's Miroslav Klose to become the all-time leading scorer in FIFA World Cup history.

A starting position against Jordan would have given him a greater chance to extend his record goal tally, but he will likely have further opportunities. His closest rival, Kylian Mbappé, who didn't score in France's last group stage match (a 4-1 victory over Norway), has 16 goals.

Messi won't be the only regular starter rested by the coach against Jordan. Scaloni did not reveal his team's starting eleven but emphasized that the players stepping in would fulfill their roles perfectly. Scaloni did not rule out a joint start for Lautaro Martínez and Julián Álvarez in attack.

"It's possible, but we don't want to disrupt the team's balance. The great news is also that Dibu Martínez is eager to play after his finger injury. Cuti Romero is also doing better. He hasn't trained with his teammates, but he has been training intensely on his own. It's less serious than we thought," Scaloni reported.

Regarding the replacements for the starting players, the Argentine coach added: "We don't have a single average player in this team. They are all stars. It's important that other players from the wider squad get their playing time at the tournament. A change in the lineup might also lead to a change in tactics. We've prepared something, but I won't reveal the details."