Argentina vs. Jordan Live score, FIFA World Cup 2026 Scorecard 3-1: Lionel Messi scores; Dallas blast – The Tech Word News

Live score Argentina vs. Jordan: Lionel Messi came off the bench in the second half after being rested in Argentina’s final Group J game against Jordan, with the reigning world champions already clinching top spot in the group.

Fans inside AT&T Stadium had been waiting all evening for this moment. They started chanting Messi’s name soon after the start of the second half and erupted when the Argentina captain entered the pitch, three days after he celebrated his 39th birthday.

Messi replaced Lautaro Martinez after Argentina built a 2-1 lead with first-half goals from Giovani Lo Celso and Martinez. Jordan, already out of the tournament, pulled one goal back before Messi’s opener.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has been managing a minor hamstring injury he picked up at Inter Miami ahead of the World Cup, prompting coach Lionel Scaloni to leave him out of the starting XI ahead of the knockout stages.

Messi entered the match as the tournament’s top scorer with five goals, having scored all of Argentina’s goals in their first two group games. He scored his first World Cup hat-trick against Algeria before adding his fifth goal in stoppage time against Austria.

The performance was another milestone for the Argentine captain. It was his 202nd international cap and a record 29th FIFA World Cup appearance. He has now scored in six consecutive World Cup matches, joining Just Fontaine and Jairzinho as the only players to do so.

Messi also became the clear leading scorer at the Men’s World Cup with 18 goals, surpassing Miroslav Klose’s previous record of 16. French star Kylian Mbappé is next on the list with 16 career World Cup goals after matching Klose at the start of the tournament.

Having already secured top spot in Group J, Argentina will face World Cup debutants Cape Verde in the round of 32 next year as they begin their bid to retain the title. Messi is also aiming for his first ever World Cup Golden Boot, won by the tournament’s top scorer.