Argentina captain Lionel Messi will start on the bench when the defending champions take on Jordan in their final Group J fixture of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Sunday.
Head coach Lionel Scaloni confirmed the decision, revealing that Messi, who celebrated his 39th birthday on June 24, will not be in the starting XI but is expected to feature later in the match.
"He will come in a little bit later," Scaloni said through an interpreter, though he did not specify when the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner would be introduced.
Argentina have already secured top spot in Group J after winning their opening two matches, while World Cup debutants Jordan have lost both of their games and are already out of contention for the knockout stages.
Messi has been in sensational form, scoring all five of Argentina's goals in the tournament so far. The Inter Miami forward has now taken his overall World Cup tally to a record 18 goals across six editions of the competition.
The Argentine legend equalled Miroslav Klose's long-standing record of 16 World Cup goals with a hat-trick in a 3-0 victory over Algeria before surpassing the German great with two more goals in Argentina's 2-0 win over Austria earlier this week.
Klose scored his 16 goals in 24 World Cup appearances and ended his international career by lifting the trophy in 2014 after Germany defeated Argentina 1-0 in the final. France striker Kylian Mbappé also reached the 16-goal mark earlier this week with a brace against Iraq, although he failed to score in France's 4-1 victory over Norway on Friday.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, Messi has now made 201 appearances for Argentina and holds the FIFA record for most World Cup matches played with 28. He has also scored in six consecutive World Cup matches, joining Just Fontaine of France and Brazil's Jairzinho as the only players to achieve that feat.
ALSO READ: Ousmane Dembele Sets French Record With Hat-Trick Against Norway
Messi arrived at the World Cup after managing a minor hamstring issue during his time with Inter Miami, and Scaloni's decision appears to be aimed at keeping his captain fresh for the knockout rounds.
Argentina begin their Round of 32 campaign in South Florida, and should they reach the final on July 19, they will play five knockout matches in just 17 days.
Messi is not expected to be the only regular rested against Jordan. Goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez could be the lone first-choice starter, with Scaloni likely to rotate heavily. Young midfielder Nicolás Paz, who replaced Messi late in the opening win over Algeria to make his World Cup debut, is expected to start.
"The hope is that the team will play the same way. That's what we're going to try to do," Scaloni said.
"Jordan are a good opponent, and we're not taking anything for granted. We'll try to improve some aspects from the last match while maintaining the same intention of controlling possession and dominating the game."
ALSO READ: Lionel Messi Breaks FIFA World Cup Record For Most Missed Penalties
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
