Messi scores as Argentina beat Jordan to finish World Cup group stage unbeaten

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African teams near sweep of knockout places as Messi breaks World Cup record
Messi scores as Argentina beat Jordan to finish World Cup group stage unbeaten
Messi breaks World Cup scoring record with two goals in Argentina's win over Austria
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Lionel Messi extended his own record as the first player to score in seven consecutive FIFA World Cup matches, coming off the bench to convert a free kick in Argentina’s 3-1 victory over Jordan in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday. The 39-year-old superstar, who had started the game on the bench for only the second time in his World Cup career, entered at the 60th minute and immediately stamped his authority on the contest, curling a 25-yard strike past Jordan’s goalkeeper to seal Argentina’s perfect group-stage finish in Group J.
Argentina had already taken control before Messi’s introduction, with Giovani Lo Celso’s first-half free kick and Lautaro Martínez’s penalty putting them 2-0 up inside 35 minutes. Jordan pulled one back before the break, but Messi’s 65th-minute strike—his sixth of the tournament—extended his unbroken scoring streak across seven straight World Cup games, surpassing the previous record jointly held by Hungary’s Sándor Kocsis (1954) and Germany’s Gerd Müller (1970).
The result means Argentina finished Group J with maximum nine points, setting up a Round of 32 clash with Cape Verde in Miami next Saturday. Messi’s latest milestone also brought his all-time World Cup tally to 19 goals, further cementing his status as the competition’s outright leading scorer.
Speaking after the match, Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni confirmed that Messi’s role as a “super-sub” was a deliberate tactical choice to manage his workload during the group stage. “We wanted to give him rest where possible,” Scaloni said. “He’s 39, but when he comes on, he changes the game.”
The victory capped a dominant display from the defending champions, who had already secured top spot in the group with wins over Algeria and Poland earlier in the week. Jordan, meanwhile, ended their campaign with a single point after a draw with Poland, leaving them bottom of the group.
Messi’s record-breaking cameo underscored Argentina’s depth and tactical flexibility, with Lo Celso and Martínez also finding the net in Texas. The stage is now set for a high-stakes knockout encounter against Cape Verde, a team that has exceeded expectations to reach the Round of 32 for the first time in their history.
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