Lionel Messi to Start from Bench in Argentina's Final Group Stage Match

Messi's Role in Upcoming Match

In a surprising turn of events, Lionel Messi will not be in the starting lineup for Argentina's final group stage match against Jordan at the Dallas Stadium in Arlington on Saturday, June 27. This announcement was made by Argentina's coach, Lionel Scaloni, during a pre-match press conference. While Messi will not start, fans can take solace in the fact that he is expected to come off the bench during the game. Scaloni mentioned, “Leo will be a substitute tomorrow, he will start after. We will announce the team tomorrow.”

Argentina Secures Top Position

Argentina has successfully qualified for the Round of 32 and has also secured the top position in Group J, irrespective of the outcomes of the upcoming matches. They are set to face the second-placed team from Group H, which includes Spain, Uruguay, Cape Verde, and Saudi Arabia, on Friday, July 2, at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. The team kicked off their campaign with a commanding 3-0 win over Algeria, where Messi netted a hat trick. In their second match, they triumphed over Austria with a 2-0 scoreline, with Messi contributing another two goals. So far, Messi has been instrumental, scoring all five of Argentina's goals in the tournament, making him the joint top scorer alongside Kylian Mbappe. Ousmane Dembele, Erling Haaland, and Vinicius Jr. follow closely with four goals each. Throughout the tournament, Messi has also surpassed Miroslav Klose's record, becoming the all-time leading goalscorer in World Cup history. Argentina aims to make history by being the first team in 62 years to defend their title successfully.