It was billed as a night for Lionel Messi to rest, but the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner simply couldn’t resist rewriting the headlines. Coming off the bench in the second half, the Argentine captain illuminated the stadium with a breathtaking, physics-defying free kick to put the finishing touches on a commanding 3-1 victory over tournament debutants Jordan, securing a flawless group stage exit for La Albiceleste.
With top spot in Group J already mathematically locked down following wins over Algeria and Austria, manager Lionel Scaloni stuck to his pre-match promise to manage his captain’s workload, starting the 39-year-old on the bench. However, with Jordan putting up a remarkably spirited fight, Messi’s late introduction turned a comfortable win into an unforgettable spectacle.
The world-class strike extended Messi’s record-breaking all-time World Cup tally to 19 goals, widening his lead in the tournament’s Golden Boot race with an astonishing six goals in just three group matches.
WATCH VIDEO
WHAT A FREEKICK GOAL MESSI https://t.co/HLd0bzI0Ae pic.twitter.com/kfULFKLScI
— m 🇧🇷🇪🇸🇦🇷 (@pedrizard) June 28, 2026
The difference in quality between Messi and Ronaldo’s freekick today 😭 pic.twitter.com/76e100IoGB
— AM☬ (@AbsoluteMxssi) June 28, 2026
“You practice, you plan, and you position your wall perfectly. But when Leo strikes a ball with that kind of trajectory and precision, there is absolutely nothing any tactical system in the world can do to stop it.” – Jordan Head Coach Jamal Sellami.
The 3-1 triumph ensures Argentina enters next Friday’s high-stakes Round of 32 knockout match in South Florida riding a massive wave of confidence, with their iconic talisman looking sharper than ever.
Jordan’s Spirited Resistance
Argentina’s heavily rotated starting lineup found themselves working hard early on against a highly motivated Jordanian side looking to leave an impression on their first-ever World Cup campaign. The South American giants established structural dominance through goals from Lautaro Martínez and Julian Álvarez, but Jordan shocked the stadium by pulling a goal back via a lightning-fast counter-attack to make it 2-1 midway through the second half.
Sensing a slight shift in momentum, Scaloni turned to his bench in the 72nd minute, unleashing Messi to a deafening ovation from the crowd. The legendary number 10 didn’t take long to dictate the tempo, organizing the midfield lanes and immediately restoring calmness to Argentina’s possession play.
Before You Go
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: abplive.com
