Lionel Messi came off the bench at Dallas Stadium to etch his name deeper into World Cup folklore, becoming the first player in history to score in seven consecutive World Cup matches as Argentina beat Jordan 3-1 on Sunday.

With the holders already guaranteed top spot in Group J, manager Lionel Scaloni made nine changes to his starting lineup. Even a heavily rotated Argentina side proved too strong, taking a firm grip of the contest well before half-time.

Lo Celso and Martínez put Argentina in command

Giovani Lo Celso opened the scoring in the 19th minute, curling a precise free-kick beyond the Jordan goalkeeper. Lautaro Martínez doubled the advantage from the penalty spot in the 31st minute after Senesi was brought down inside the box.

Jordan offered a moment of real quality in the 55th minute when substitute Mousa Al-Tamari completed a slick team move to pull a goal back and give the crowd something to cheer. It was a brief glimmer of hope for the Jordanians.

Messi delivers on the hour

Scaloni introduced Messi around the 60th minute to a roaring reception from the 70,649 supporters inside Dallas Stadium. The Argentine legend needed only 20 minutes to make his mark — driving a low free-kick past a wrong-footed goalkeeper in the 80th minute to seal a 3-1 victory.

The goal is Messi's sixth of the FIFA World Cup 2026 and his 19th in World Cup history — a record tally for any player. More remarkably, no man or woman has ever scored in seven successive World Cup matches before Messi did so on Sunday night.

At 39 years old, Messi shows no signs of slowing down, but Scaloni will be mindful of managing his minutes carefully as the tournament progresses. Argentina's route through the knockout stages is more condensed than some rivals — they face only four days between matches, compared to five for teams such as Germany — making squad rotation all the more critical.

Argentina will now face Cape Verde in the round of 32, where Scaloni will once again weigh the value of resting his talisman against the electric atmosphere Messi's presence guarantees.