Lionel Messi needed just 30 minutes to remind the football world why he remains the game’s greatest showman. Coming off the bench, the Argentina captain scored another stunning free kick as the world champions eased past Jordan 3-1, while writing yet another chapter in his remarkable World Cup story.
Argentina had already secured top spot in Group J, allowing Lionel Scaloni to rotate his squad heavily. Nine changes did little to disrupt their rhythm as Giovani Lo Celso opened the scoring with a beautifully curled free kick before Lautaro Martinez doubled the lead from the penalty spot.
Jordan refused to fade quietly. Their reward came early in the second half when Mousa Al Tamari finished a flowing team move after excellent work from Ehsan Haddad, giving the tournament debutants a memorable moment and briefly raising hopes of an unlikely comeback.
Then came the moment everyone inside Dallas Stadium had been waiting for. Messi entered to a deafening roar in the 60th minute, and every touch lifted the atmosphere. Ten minutes from time, he bent a low free kick around the wall and beyond the goalkeeper to seal Argentina’s victory.
The goal carried historic significance. It was Messi’s sixth of the tournament, extending his lead in the Golden Boot race. More importantly, it was his 19th World Cup goal and made him the first player ever to score in seven consecutive World Cup matches.
Scaloni admitted he had run out of ways to describe his captain. “It’s a bit of an awkward situation for me because I don’t know what else to say,” he said. “He preferred to give his team-mates some playing time and focus on what lies ahead. That speaks volumes about him.”
Jordan exited the tournament with heads held high. Coach Jamal Sellami said, “We are out of the competition while feeling very proud of what we have presented as debutants.” He added that facing the reigning world champions showed how even the smallest mistakes are punished.
Argentina now turn their attention to a last 32 clash with Cape Verde, while Messi continues to prove that even at 39, football history still has room for more of his magic.
