Lionel Messi, the 39-year-old captain of the reigning world champions Argentina, will begin on the bench in the upcoming match against Jordan, as confirmed by Argentina’s coach, Lionel Scaloni. This game, part of the group stage of the 2026 World Cup, is scheduled for the morning of June 28 at 5:00 AM.
Argentina has already secured its place in the knockout stage, having topped their group, prompting Scaloni to consider several changes to the starting lineup. “I spoke with Messi and I believe this is the best decision. It’s important for his teammates to get minutes, and he can come on during the second half,” Scaloni stated.
Messi currently leads the tournament with five goals, all of which have contributed to Argentina’s success thus far. Scaloni emphasized the importance of giving opportunities to players who have had limited playing time, highlighting their hard work within the squad.
Lionel Scaloni: “Players Deserve Their Chance”
“Those who will play tomorrow deserve this chance. They are part of the squad and have worked alongside us all this time. Whenever I can give them minutes, I will, because they deserve it,” he remarked. Scaloni expressed his desire for the team to maintain their performance level, even with player rotations.
On the possibility of fielding Lautaro Martinez and Julian Alvarez together in attack, Scaloni remains open. “If the other players maintain balance and run, it’s a possibility. They have played together against Bolivia, and we have drawn our conclusions,” he explained. However, he stressed that team balance remains the priority.
Scaloni also provided updates on the squad’s health. Goalkeeper Emiliano „Dibu” Martinez is fit to play despite finger issues, while Cristian Romero is recovering better than expected.
“Dibu is well and wants to play. Regarding Romero, he hasn’t trained with the group yet, but he is working hard separately. His progress is encouraging and gives us confidence,” the coach noted.
“It Would Be Disrespectful”
Scaloni expressed respect for Jordan, stating, “They are a good team. They lost their first two matches due to isolated incidents and I don’t think they deserved that. They are a dangerous opponent, and we don’t consider ourselves favorites going in. We will try to control the game and block their counterattacks.”
He clarified that the lineup decisions for the match against Jordan are not influenced by potential knockout stage matchups. “It would be disrespectful to say we prefer a certain opponent. At this level, all national teams are challenging, and we are not in a position to choose who we want to face,” Scaloni concluded.
