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Jordan said goodbye early
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has settled the dispute over the participation of star Lionel Messi in the third round of the 2026 World Cup group stage against Jordan, confirming that the Argentina captain will start the match on the bench in the American city of Dallas.
“Leo will start the match from the bench. I already know the starting lineup, but I can’t reveal it here.”
Scaloni explained that the decision to rest Messi was made as part of managing the Argentine star’s physical exertion after securing early qualification, stressing that the match was an opportunity to try new elements and give the substitutes extra playing minutes.
“The substitutes deserve to be involved, they are an integral part of the team and a huge credit to them for what has been achieved.”
The Argentinian coach added. “We achieved our goals before this game, wearing this shirt means trying to win every game and it gives us the opportunity to see players who didn’t get enough playing time and assess their fitness.”
Regarding the opponents, Scalloni emphasized that the national team does not choose the opponents and does not think about organizing the upcoming matches, saying.
Speaking about reaching his 100th game as a manager, Scaloni said: “I don’t care what people say about me. What’s important to me is that people relate to the team’s style of play. I never imagined that I would reach 100 matches in this jersey.”
Scalloni concluded his speech by praising the Jordanian team, emphasizing his full respect for the opponent. “They are a good team that lost to Algeria in the last minutes. A strong opponent and we will not underestimate them and we want to control them with possession.”
