ARLINGTON, Texas — Lionel Messi will start Argentina‘s final group stage match against Jordan on Saturday from the substitutes’ bench, coach Lionel Scaloni said.
“Leo will be a substitute tomorrow, to play later. We’ll announce the team tomorrow,” Scaloni said during Friday’s news conference ahead of the game at AT&T Stadium.
Argentina have already qualified for the round of 32 as winners of Group J after defeating Algeria and Austria. The 2022 champions are now set to face the runners-up from group H, which includes Spain, Uruguay, Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia.
The opponent will be determined by the results of Friday’s matches.
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“The decision of who starts tomorrow is not in relation to the opponent we’ll face in the next round,” Scaloni added.
“I can’t express a preference for who we might face, it would be completely disrespectful. I don’t have a preference, I’d rather the World Cup ended tomorrow with us as champions. We aren’t in a position to choose our next opponent.”
Messi stands as the team’s lone goalscorer so far this tournament, netting five goals in the first two matches to break the record for most goals in men’s World Cup history at 18. He scored a hat trick against Algeria, before going on to net two more against Austria.
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The Inter Miami star currently leads the race for the Golden Boot.
After facing Jordan, Argentina will head to Miami for their round of 32 clash.
