More Messi Magic: 4 Takeaways From Argentina’s Win Over Jordan At World Cup

Lionel Messi came off the bench to score his World Cup-leading sixth goal of the tournament for Argentina as the defending champions topped tournament debutant Jordan 3-1 at Dallas Stadium in both teams’ final first round match in Group J. With Messi initially watching from the sidelines, Giovani Lo Celso and Lautaro Martínez scored their first career World Cup goals for the Albiceleste in the first half, but Jordanian substitute Musa Al-Taamari made things interesting when he pulled one back for the underdogs just 10 minutes into the second. Messi, this World Cup’s top scorer, came on with about a half-hour left to play. The GOAT, who turned 39 on Wednesday, was given a rest by coach Lionel Scaloni with Argentina already qualified for the round of 32, but he gave the crowd what they came to see with one of his signature free kicks with just over 10 minutes left to play. Here are my takeaways: 1. Argentina Didn’t Need Messi … Scaloni said on the eve of the match that Messi, who missed several games for MLS champion Inter Miami earlier this season because of what the club called “muscle fatigue, wouldn’t start in the group stage finale. Messi had started every World Cup game for the Albiceleste since 2010; the last time he came off the bench was 20 years ago in 2006, during his first trip to the planet’s most important sporting event. But the calculation by Scaloni paid off. Lo Celso — who missed his country’s triumph four years ago in Qatar because of an untimely hamstring injury — scored a left-footed, Messi-esque free kick that beat Yazeed Abulaila and settled into the top corner of the goalkeeper’s net. Martínez then doubled the advantage in the 31st minute by converting a penalty kick that was awarded following a video review. And while Jordan made things interesting by cutting the lead in half, they never again tested Argentine backstop Emiliano Martínez, who didn’t make a single save all night. 2. … But (Of Course) The GOAT Stole The Show Anyway. Messi famously hates to not play, even when doing so could put him at risk of further injury. Not every manager has the guts to save him from himself when necessary. Scaloni doesn’t have that problem. The pair were teammates at that 2006 World Cup in Germany, and there’s a trust level between the two men after winning three consecutive major competitions (one world title and two Copa Américas). Still, with the score still 2-1, it was no surprise to see Messi come on and try to pad the lead. It didn’t take him long, with the Barcelona legend beating Abulaila clean to seal the win and set yet another record, becoming the first player in the 96-year history of the World Cup to score in seven consecutive matches. 3. Beware A Rested Messi In The Knockout Stage As much as Argentina showed that they can score without the living legend — and that they might not need to rely on him the way they did in 2022, when he scored seven times (including twice in the World Cup final), he remains their undisputed leader. He’s also making a case that even at his advanced age, he still might be the best player in the world. We’ll find out for sure now that the business end of the tournament is here, with each upcoming match potentially the end of an era if Argentina loses. But with Messi playing the way he has so far in the country he now calls home, who would bet against him emulating the great Pelé by leading his team to back-to-back World Cups for the first time since Brazil repeated all the way back in 1962. 4. Cape Verde Up Next For Argentina While Jordan goes home from its first World Cup appearance 0-3, another debutant — the tiny West African island nation of Cape Verde — has been this tournament’s Cinderella story. The Blue Sharks – led by breakout star Vozinha – tied title favorites Spain and two-time champions Uruguay in group play to advance against the longest odds. Now they get to play spoilers against the trophy holders. It seems like an impossible task, to be sure. But given what they’ve already accomplished so far, you can be certain that Scaloni and his battle-tested team won’t make the mistake of taking them lightly.