Argentina have done it again. Lionel Scaloni's side wrapped up the group phase of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a flawless record, beating Jordan 3-1 at Dallas Stadium to finish Group J with three wins from three and set up a round of 32 date with Cape Verde in Miami on July 3.
It was, in truth, a routine night's work for the world champions against a Jordan side appearing at their first-ever World Cup. But for long stretches, particularly after the break, Jordan refused to be mere extras in Argentina's procession, and for a spell it looked like the deficit might genuinely be under threat. In the end, though, the gulf in quality told, and Messi made sure of it with the goal that finally closed the door.
A Dream Start for the Albiceleste
Argentina, already through to the knockouts and with little left to play for beyond pride and seeding, made it clear from the opening whistle that complacency was not on the agenda. They dominated the ball from the first minute, eventually finishing the night with 70% possession and 13 shots to Jordan's five, numbers that tell the story of a one-sided opening 45 minutes.
The breakthrough came in the 19th minute, and it was a thing of real craft. Giovani Lo Celso stepped up to a free-kick on the edge of the box and bent a gorgeous strike beyond Yazeed Abulaila's reach and into the corner, the kind of finish that separates the contenders from the rest at this level. It was the first World Cup goal of Lo Celso's career, and a deserved reward for a player who has steadily built his case for a starting role in this Argentina side.
Argentina were rampant from there. Julian Alvarez rattled the crossbar as the champions searched for a second, and they would not have to wait much longer. Just past the half-hour mark, a foul on Alvarez inside the area, amid genuinely chaotic circumstances that also saw Marcos Senesi take a kick to the face while forcing a save, handed the referee an easy decision. Lautaro Martinez stepped up and made no mistake from the spot, sending Abulaila the wrong way to put Argentina 2-0 up after 31 minutes.
At that stage, with Argentina cruising and Jordan barely able to get out of their own half, a rout looked to be on the cards. Jordan had managed just two shots all half, only one of which had tested Emiliano Martinez in the Argentina goal.
Jordan Refuse to Go Quietly
Whatever Hussein Sellami said to his players at the interval clearly had an effect. Jordan made wholesale halftime changes, two substitutions at the break, and emerged for the second half a transformed side, pressing higher and finally finding the spaces between Argentina's lines that had been so absent in the first 45.
The reward came in the 55th minute, and it was a goal worth celebrating for a team making history just by being on this stage. Ehsan Haddad combined cleverly down the right with Yazan Al Mardi before whipping in a teasing cross that Mousa Al-Tamari met with a clean, first-time finish to beat Martinez and send the Jordanian end of Dallas Stadium into raptures. Suddenly, at 2-1, with 35 minutes still to play, there was a sliver of hope that this story might have one more twist in it.
For a spell, Argentina looked uncharacteristically rattled. Jordan's energy and belief grew, the tempo of the game shifted entirely in their favor, and Scaloni's response was telling: a flurry of changes of his own, bringing on Lautaro's replacement and fresh legs in midfield to try to wrestle back control of a match that had briefly slipped away from the world champions' grasp.
Messi Restores Order
It took the very best player on the pitch to finally extinguish Jordan's resistance. With ten minutes remaining and Jordan still pushing for an unlikely equalizer, Lionel Messi stood over a free-kick just outside the box and did what he has done to defenses for two decades: he curled it low and true into the bottom corner, leaving Abulaila completely rooted to his line. It was Messi's second goal of the match — having missed an earlier first-half penalty — and another contribution to a tournament in which he has already rewritten the World Cup's all-time scoring record.
The goal, arriving in the 80th minute, took the wind out of whatever comeback Jordan had been building and confirmed what had felt inevitable since kickoff: Argentina, deserved group winners, would finish their first phase with a perfect nine points from nine, a +7 goal difference, and the look of a side that knows exactly how to manage a match even when it threatens to wobble.
There was time for a handful of further chances and a couple of late Jordan substitutions in search of a final flourish, including a card for Mohammed Abu Zraiq just minutes after coming on, but the result was no longer in doubt. Argentina saw out the closing stages comfortably, content with a job well done and an opponent who, while ultimately well beaten, will leave this tournament with their heads held high.
What It Means
For Argentina, this was about more than just three points. Topping Group J sets up what Scaloni will hope is a kinder run through the knockout rounds, beginning with Cape Verde in Miami on July 3, rather than a potentially trickier alternative had they finished second. The performance also offered useful minutes and answers for fringe players like Lo Celso, even if questions remain about the side's occasional second-half lapses in concentration, something Jordan exposed for a 35-minute spell here.
For Jordan, the World Cup debut they dreamed of ends at the group stage, but not without real signs of promise. A goal against the world champions, an obvious response to halftime adjustments, and a second-half performance that troubled one of the tournament favorites will all serve as building blocks for a footballing nation taking its first steps on the biggest stage of all.
As for Messi, the night added another chapter to an already historic tournament. Already the World Cup's outright leading scorer after his goal against Austria, he continues to find ways to remind everyone why, even now, he remains the man Argentina turn to when a game needs settling.
