The Jordan vs. Argentina clash at Dallas Stadium on Saturday, June 27, 2026, brought Group J’s group stage to a close, and it ended with Lionel Messi writing himself further into World Cup history.

Argentina had already secured top spot in the group before kickoff, allowing manager Lionel Scaloni to make nine changes to his starting eleven. It didn’t stop the defending champions from taking full control, finishing the group phase with a perfect record. Jordan, playing in their first-ever World Cup, gave the South Americans a real fight in the second half but ultimately fell short on a historic but bittersweet night for Jordanian football.

Final Score

Jordan 1-3, Argentina

Goals

⚽ Argentina — Giovani Lo Celso, 19′

⚽ Argentina — Lautaro Martínez (penalty), 31′

⚽ Jordan — Mousa Al-Tamari, 55′

⚽ Argentina — Lionel Messi (free-kick), 80′

Match Facts

Match Report

Argentina Takes Early Control

With qualification as group winners already secured, Scaloni made heavy rotations, but his changes did little to slow Argentina down. The opener came in the 19th minute, when Giovani Lo Celso curled a free-kick from the edge of the box into the net to put Argentina ahead.

Argentina doubled its lead just past the half-hour mark. A foul on Julián Álvarez, who had earlier struck the crossbar, led to a penalty after Marcos Senesi was caught by a kick to the face while pressing for the ball. Lautaro Martínez stepped up and converted from the spot to make it 2-0.

Half-Time Score

Jordan 0-2 Argentina

Jordan Fights Back, But Messi Has the Final Word

Jordan’s manager, Hussein Ammouta, made changes at the break, and the substitutions paid off. Just past the hour mark, Jordan put together a flowing move from back to front—Ehsan Haddad carried the ball out wide before whipping in a cross that substitute Mousa Al-Tamari swept home in the 55th minute, cutting the deficit to 2-1 and giving the home crowd genuine hope of a comeback.

Argentina settled the contest in the 80th minute. Messi, introduced from the bench, found the bottom corner with a low free kick to make it 3-1—his sixth goal of the tournament and a record seventh consecutive World Cup match with a goal, a feat no player has ever achieved before. Jordan pushed for a way back into the game late on, with Mohammed Abu Zraiq picking up a yellow card for a heavy challenge in the closing stages, but Argentina saw out the win comfortably.

Match Highlights

Giovani Lo Celso opened the scoring with a curled free-kick. Lautaro Martínez doubled Argentina’s lead from the penalty spot. Jordan halved the deficit through a well-worked Al-Tamari finish. Lionel Messi came off the bench to score a record seventh straight World Cup goal. Argentina finished the group stage with a perfect record.  Jordan’s historic first World Cup campaign came to an end.

Star Performers

Argentina

• Lionel Messi — Scored the decisive third goal off the bench, becoming the first player to score in seven consecutive World Cup matches. Named Man of the Match.
• Giovani Lo Celso — Opened the scoring with a precise free-kick.
• Lautaro Martínez — Converted confidently from the penalty spot.

Jordan

• Mousa Al-Tamari — Scored a well-taken goal after coming on as a substitute.
• Ehsan Haddad — Provided the assist for Jordan’s goal with a quality cross from the right.

What This Result Means

Argentina

The win confirms Argentina finished the group stage with a perfect record, and the defending champions now move into the Round of 32 to face Cape Verde in Miami on July 3. Managing the squad’s minutes will be a key theme for Scaloni going forward, given Argentina has one of the oldest squads in the tournament and faces a tighter turnaround between knockout matches than some rivals.

Jordan

Jordan’s first-ever World Cup campaign ended at the group stage, but the team earned widespread respect for their performances, including the fight they showed against the world champions in Dallas. Speaking after the match, Jordan’s coaching staff expressed pride in the squad’s achievement and hope that the experience will help Jordanian football reach greater heights in future tournaments.

Final Verdict

The Jordan vs. Argentina match capped off Group J in fitting fashion—Argentina’s depth and quality shining through even with a heavily rotated side, while Jordan reminded everyone why they belonged on the World Cup stage. Messi’s record-breaking free-kick was the headline moment, but Jordan’s spirited second-half response ensured their first World Cup ended with pride intact.