Messi scores in seventh straight World Cup match as Argentina beat Jordan 3-1, set up Cape Verde clash
Lionel Messi's late free-kick sealed a 3-1 victory over Jordan, extending his record to 19 World Cup goals and seven consecutive scoring appearances. Argentina completed Group J with a perfect nine points.
On the pitch
Argentina cruised past Jordan 3-1 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in front of 70,649 fans. Coach Lionel Scaloni made nine changes from the side that beat Austria 2-0, resting Lionel Messi and several regulars. Giovani Lo Celso opened the scoring in the 19th minute with a precise free-kick after a foul just outside the box. Lautaro Martinez doubled the lead from the penalty spot in the 31st minute, awarded via VAR after a high boot to Marcos Senesi's face.
Jordan pulled one back early in the second half. Mousa Al-Tamari finished a slick team move in the 55th minute, slotting in at the far post after a low cross from Ehsan Haddad. It was Argentina's first conceded goal of the tournament and briefly gave Jordan hope.
Messi entered in the 60th minute and restored order twenty minutes later. A foul near the penalty area gave him a free-kick in his favourite range, and he bent the ball past motionless goalkeeper Yazeed Abulaila.
- Lo Celso scores from a free-kick (19')
- Lautaro Martinez converts penalty (31')
- Mousa Al-Tamari pulls one back for Jordan (55')
- Messi curls in a free-kick to seal the win (80')
Messi extends remarkable run
With that strike, Messi reached 19 career World Cup goals and scored in his seventh consecutive match at the tournament. He previously shared the record of six straight scoring games with Just Fontaine and Jairzinho. The Inter Miami forward now has six goals in three group-stage matches in 2026. He also made his 29th World Cup appearance, another all-time high.
Scaloni wary of Cape Verde test
Argentina will face Cape Verde in the round of 16 on 4 July at midnight Polish time (mid-afternoon in the US). Scaloni expects a difficult encounter.
This is a good team that caused problems for all three of its opponents. It's a tough rival that will give us difficulties, because it already did against Spain, one of the favourites, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia. You have to be careful.
The coach also flagged the conditions.
We'll be playing in extreme heat, at a time that's hard to understand, but everyone has already done it, so we can't complain.
What comes next
The group finished with Argentina on nine points, Austria on five after their 3-3 draw with Algeria, and Algeria on two points but advancing as one of the eight best third-placed teams. Jordan, making their World Cup debut, were eliminated. The winner of Argentina vs Cape Verde will face either Australia or Egypt in the quarter-finals.
