Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has confirmed that Lionel Messi will begin his side’s final Group J match against Jordan on the bench after the defending champions had already secured top spot in the group.
Scaloni said Messi is expected to feature as a substitute, while the starting lineup has already been finalised and will be announced before kick-off.
Argentina sealed first place in Group J following a 2-0 victory over Austria and a commanding 3-0 win over Algeria.
Messi, who celebrated his 39th birthday last Wednesday, has scored all of Argentina’s goals so far at the World Cup in North America, further extending his record as the tournament’s all-time leading scorer.
With Argentina already through to the Round of 32 and tournament debutants Jordan eliminated, Scaloni is expected to rotate his squad and make several changes to the starting XI.
Argentina will face the runners-up of Group H in the Round of 32, with Spain, Uruguay, Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia all still in contention for the second qualifying spot.
