Having won their first two matches against Algeria (3-0) and Austria (2-0), with all five goals scored by Messi, Argentina had already secured advancement as Group J leaders. Consequently, for their final group stage match against Jordan on 27/6, Scaloni made extensive changes to the starting lineup, replacing 9 players and retaining only goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and forward Lautaro Martinez.

Messi entered the game in the 60th minute and quickly made an impact. In the 80th minute, he scored a direct free-kick, sealing the 3-1 victory and breaking two additional records. "M10" became the first player to score in 7 consecutive matches and the first player to net 6 goals from outside the penalty area at the World Cup. He also extended his tournament goal-scoring record to 19, three goals more than Kylian Mbappe (France) and Miroslav Klose (Germany).

Lionel Messi (second from left) scored Argentina's third goal from a free-kick in the World Cup Group J match against Jordan, in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, on 27/6. *AP*

Following the match, Scaloni revealed that Messi, despite being fit for the full 90 minutes, proactively requested to start on the bench. This decision was made to provide opportunities for his teammates and conserve energy for the round of 16. The 48-year-old coach stated, "Messi did not underestimate the opponent; he could have continued to break more records." He added, "But Messi prioritizes the team, wanting his teammates to play more. That speaks volumes about Messi's character, as he doesn't care about statistics."

Scaloni expressed satisfaction with the opportunity to give playing time to substitute players and gather additional tactical options. A notable experiment involved Exequiel Palacios being deployed as a right-back instead of his usual central midfield role. Scaloni clarified that this was a squad rotation strategy, as Nahuel Molina required rest after continuous play, and Gonzalo Montiel could not be risked.

Argentina's head coach subsequently expressed respect for Cape Verde, a team that surprisingly advanced to the knockout stage in their World Cup debut after drawing all three group matches: Spain (0-0), Uruguay (2-2), and Saudi Arabia (0-0). Scaloni remarked about the African opponent, "Based on what we have seen in this tournament, we need to be extremely cautious. They are fast, technical, and play very well."

During the post-match press conference, teammate and forward Giuliano Simeone expressed his admiration for Messi. "He is truly the world's best player, arguably the greatest of all time, and he continues to prove it," stated the son of coach Diego Simeone. "I observe him daily in training: his dedication to practice, how he cares for himself. It's all incredible; he possesses a special magic."

By Hong Duy (TyC Sports, FIFA)