Lionel Messi. The world’s most decorated soccer player, added to his legend at the 2026 World Cup by scoring six goals, including a record-breaking goal in his seventh consecutive match. The 39-year-old star led Argentina to a 3-1 win over Jordan in their final group stage match, confirming their place as group winners; Messi came off the bench for the match, scoring a stunning free-kick goal to extend his World Cup scoring record, according to ESPN and Web.de.

Messi’s Record and Argentina’s World Cup 2026 Performance

Messi’s goal against Jordan made him the first player in history to score in seven straight World Cup matches, and he now has 19 total World Cup goals, the most in history, according to Web.de. Argentina, led by manager Lionel Scaloni, topped Group C with 9 points, securing their place in the round of 16 where they will face Cape Verde.

Messi started the match on the bench, a decision Scaloni confirmed was not due to injury, as the coach explained that resting the star was a strategic move to ensure he remains in competitive form for future matches. “Leo will most likely come on in the second half,” Scaloni said, according to BBC; “We talked and agreed that it was better that way.”

Argentina’s dominance in the match was clear: they had a 73.3% possession rate, completed 800 passes compared to Jordan’s 285, and created more than three times the number of scoring chances (2.13 xG to 0.74), according to Diario AS. Giovani Lo Celso opened the scoring with a free-kick goal in the 19th minute, the first goal for Argentina in the tournament not scored by Messi. Lautaro Martínez added a second goal in the 31st minute with a penalty kick.

The Missed Messi-Ronaldo Showdown

What could have been a historic final showdown between Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo did not materialize due to Portugal’s draw against Colombia in Group K. This result placed Portugal in a different bracket of the knockout stage, where they will face Croatia in the round of 32 before a potential match against Spain in the round of 16. Argentina, on the other hand, will face Cape Verde, meaning a potential Ronaldo-Messi match-up is possible only if both teams reach the final, according to ESPN.

Messi and Ronaldo have faced each other 36 times in competitive matches, with Messi winning 16 and scoring 22 goals, while Ronaldo has won 11 and scored 21. Their most recent meeting was in an exhibition match in January 2023 between Messi’s Paris Saint-Germain and a team of Saudi Pro League stars led by Ronaldo. With both players now on different continents, the 2026 World Cup could be their final opportunity to face each other on the biggest stage.

Argentina’s Tactical Adjustments and Messi’s Impact

Manager Lionel Scaloni made nine changes to his starting lineup for the Jordan match, emphasizing rest for key players — Despite these changes, Argentina controlled the game with a 92% pass accuracy rate compared to Jordan’s 80%, according to Diario AS. The team’s dominance was evident from the outset, with Lo Celso’s opening goal and Martínez’s penalty sealing a comfortable victory.

Messi’s impact was immediate upon his substitution in the 60th minute, and the Dallas stadium erupted in cheers as he entered the field, and his free-kick goal in the 80th minute sent the crowd into another frenzy. After the goal, Messi waved to the crowd and received loud ovations as the match neared its end; his performance highlighted why he remains the focal point of Argentina’s team and the tournament’s most-watched player.

With Argentina’s path to the knockout stage secured, attention now turns to their upcoming match against Cape Verde. The underdog nation has no prior World Cup history but faces a daunting challenge against a star-studded Argentina squad led by the legendary Lionel Messi.