Lionel Messi once again reminded why, despite the age of 39, he remains one of the most important heroes of the World Cup. The Argentine started the match against Jordan on the bench, but it took him half an hour to score another goal, seal a 3-1 victory and set a historic World Cup record.
Lionel Messi came off the bench and scored again
The Argentine national team finished the group stage of the World Cup with a complete set of victories. In the third round, the Albicelestes defeated Jordan 3-1 and confirmed that they were among the most serious candidates to fight for the title.
Lionel Scaloni decided to spare Lionel Messi from the first minute. The captain started the match on the bench to give him more time to recover before the knockout stage. He appeared on the pitch in the 60th minute, replacing Lautaro MartÃnez.
Messi’s sixth goal of the tournament
It didn’t take long for Messi to make his presence felt. In the 80th minute, he took a free kick and sent the ball into the net with a clever, flat shot. With this goal he determined the result of the match and scored the sixth goal in this year’s World Cup.
Previously, the 39-year-old scored a hat-trick against Algeria and two goals against Austria. His form in the group phase is very impressive, especially since the coach manages his minutes wisely.
Historic world championship record
The goal against Jordan had special meaning for Messi. The Argentine became the first player in history to score goals in seven consecutive World Cup matches.
Until now, the record was held by Just Fontaine and Jairzinho. Messi surpassed their achievement and added another exceptional chapter to his career. For a player who already has almost everything, this is further proof of his extraordinary longevity at the highest level.
Argentina with a complete set of victories
Argentina progressed through the group stage without losing a point. The win against Jordan was another confirmation of the strength of the team, which can control matches, rotate the lineup and still benefit from the genius of its leader.
The most important thing for Scaloni, however, is that Messi remains healthy and effective. If the 39-year-old maintains this form in the knockout phase, the Albicelestes can once again dream of the grand final.
Piala Dunia 2026
Piala Dunia FIFA 2026 akan menjadi edisi paling revolusioner dalam sejarah sepak bola dunia. Turnamen ini untuk pertama kalinya akan diselenggarakan di tiga negara sekaligus, yaitu Amerika Serikat, Kanada, dan Meksiko. Selain itu, jumlah peserta juga meningkat dari 32 menjadi 48 tim, membuka peluang lebih besar bagi negara-negara dari berbagai konfederasi untuk tampil di panggung global. Format baru ini akan menghadirkan lebih banyak pertandingan, atmosfer kompetisi yang lebih luas, serta jangkauan penonton yang semakin besar di seluruh dunia.
Dengan skala yang jauh lebih besar, FIFA menargetkan turnamen ini sebagai ajang yang tidak hanya kompetitif tetapi juga spektakuler dari sisi teknologi dan pengalaman penonton. Stadion-stadion modern di berbagai kota tuan rumah telah dipersiapkan untuk menghadirkan pertandingan berkelas dunia, didukung oleh inovasi seperti peningkatan sistem VAR dan pengalaman digital bagi fans. diprediksi akan menjadi tonggak baru dalam evolusi sepak bola internasional, memperkuat popularitas olahraga ini sekaligus menciptakan momen-momen bersejarah yang akan dikenang dalam waktu lama.
