Five goals in two group-stage matches

Sole leader in tournament scoring

Lionel Messi (center) celebrates with teammates after Argentina's victory over Austria in the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage in Dallas, Texas, on Tuesday. [EPA-Yonhap]
Lionel Messi (center) celebrates with teammates after Argentina's victory over Austria in the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage in Dallas, Texas, on Tuesday. [EPA-Yonhap]

Lionel Messi, who has scored five goals at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, is not expected to start Argentina's final group-stage match against Jordan on Sunday.

Argentina has already secured a spot in the round of 32 as the top team in Group J. AP reported Saturday that Messi will not be in the starting lineup for the Jordan match.

Coach Lionel Scaloni told reporters at a press conference that day that Messi would begin the match on the bench but would be brought on "a little later," speaking through an interpreter. The decision appears aimed at managing the star's fitness with the knockout stage in mind, given that Argentina's advancement is already assured.

Messi scored all five of Argentina's goals across two group-stage matches. The tally pushed his World Cup career total to 18 goals, surpassing Miroslav Klose of Germany — who scored 16 — to set a new all-time record.

With five goals, Messi leads the tournament scoring chart outright. Four players are tied for second with four goals each: France's Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele, Norway's Erling Haaland and Brazil's Vinicius Junior.

Meanwhile, Argentina will face Cape Verde in the round of 32. Cape Verde, making their World Cup debut, advanced from Group H in second place after going unbeaten with three draws.


yeongdai@heraldcorp.com