Messi will not start against Jordan, Scaloni gives opportunities to reserve players.

Lionel Messi has been confirmed not to feature in the starting line-up when Argentina face Jordan in the final Group J match of the 2026 World Cup at Dallas Stadium, United States, on Sunday morning WIB. Head coach Lionel Scaloni opted to rest Messi after La Albiceleste officially secured their spot in the Round of 32 as group winners.

Messi has been the most outstanding player of the tournament so far. All five goals scored by Argentina at the 2026 World Cup came from the 39-year-old captain, placing him as the temporary top scorer of the competition.

Scaloni confirmed Messi will still take part in the match, just not from the opening minute. He has opened the possibility to field the Inter Miami megastar after the half-time break.

"Leo will be on the bench. I will not announce the full final starting line-up yet, but Leo will come on to play later in the match," stated Scaloni, as quoted from FIFA's official website on Saturday.

Scaloni has room to implement squad rotations as Argentina have already locked in first position in Group J. Aside from preserving the physical condition of core players ahead of the knockout phase, the match against Jordan is also being used to grant playing opportunities for squad members who have received minimal game time.

Despite fielding a number of backup players, the 48-year-old coach stressed that Argentina's playing identity will remain unchanged. He confirmed that every player in his squad possesses sufficient quality to uphold the team's playing standards.

"I believe when this opportunity comes, there are many excellent players who also deserve minutes on the pitch. Our approach is for the team to keep playing with the exact same style," he said.

The decision to rest Messi is also part of the strategy to maintain La Pulga's fitness. Alongside leading the 2026 World Cup scoring charts with five goals, Messi has now recorded 18 total goals across all World Cup final tournament appearances, making him the all-time highest goalscorer in the history of the competition.

On the opposing camp, Jordan who have already been officially eliminated are determined to conclude their first ever World Cup appearance with a positive result, while also chasing their first tournament point.

Jamal Sellami, head coach of the team nicknamed Al-Nashama, is not preoccupied with Argentina's line-up. For him, the defending champion's strength does not only rely on Messi, but also on the consistent quality across all other players in their squad.

"We have no way of knowing what the Argentina coach will decide for his starting eleven. But no matter which players he fields, Argentina is an extraordinary team and every single player there has earned their place in the squad," Jamal Sellami concluded.