Argentina coach Scaloni benches Messi for World Cup group match vs Jordan

Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni confirmed that Lionel Messi will begin the Group J match against Jordan on the bench, with the plan to bring him on later in the game. Scaloni said the decision is part of a broader rotation strategy now that Argentina has already qualified for the knockout stage, and emphasized that all players who start deserve to be on the field.

Messi, the all‑time leading scorer in World Cup history, has rarely found the net against former champions, scoring only against France in a final penalty shoot‑out. His goal tally includes 18 World Cup goals across six tournaments, with the majority coming in 2022 and 2026, but none against Uruguay, Italy, Brazil, England, Germany or Spain.