Argentina closed the first phase of the 2026 World Cup with a 3-1 victory over Jordan in Dallas, ensuring a perfect nine-point haul in Group J and extending a commanding run into the knockout rounds. Lionel Scaloni’s heavily rotated side – featuring nine changes from the win over Austria – struck twice from set pieces before the interval: Giovani Lo Celso curled a left-footed free kick into the top corner on 19 minutes, and Lautaro Martínez converted from the penalty spot after a VAR review spotted a high boot on Marcos Senesi. The early dominance reflected the gulf in quality, despite Jordan competing in their first World Cup.

Jordan threatened to make the evening more complicated when Mousa Al-Tamari slid in a low cross ten minutes after half-time to cut the deficit to 2-1. Scaloni responded by summoning Lionel Messi, along with Thiago Almada and Alexis Mac Allister, just after the hour mark. The Argentine captain, who turned 39 three days earlier and was rested from the start, needed only 20 minutes to leave his mark: a low driven free kick through a disjointed wall sealed the match and his sixth goal of the tournament, extending his all-time World Cup record to 19.

The strike also rewrote history: Messi became the first player to score in seven consecutive World Cup appearances, surpassing the six-match streaks of Just Fontaine and Jairzinho that had stood for decades. Only two other teams – France and co-hosts Mexico – completed the group stage with a 100 per cent record, and Messi’s tally leads the Golden Boot race by two clear goals.

Argentina had already secured top spot in Group J after earlier wins over Algeria and Austria, allowing Scaloni to blood squad players. Lo Celso’s debut World Cup goal and Martínez’s first in a global finals were tangible gains, as was the collective control despite the changes. Jordan, eliminated without a point, could take solace in having breached the defending champions for the first time in the tournament.

Argentina now travel to Miami for a round-of-32 meeting with Cape Verde, the surprise qualifiers from Group H, on Friday 3 July. The prospects for the Albiceleste appear formidable: eight goals scored and one conceded across three matches, a captain in record-breaking form, and a deep squad that rotated without missing a beat.