Lionel Messi celebrated his 39th birthday week with another milestone, coming off the bench to score in Argentina’s 3-1 win over Jordan and extend his remarkable FIFA World Cup scoring streak.
Although Argentina had already secured first place in Group J before kickoff, thousands of supporters packed the stadium hoping to see their captain in action. The defending champions rested Messi at the start, but the crowd erupted when he entered the match in the 60th minute.
Twenty minutes later, the eight time Ballon d’Or winner delivered another memorable moment. After drawing a foul just outside the penalty area, Messi curled a low free kick through the defensive wall and into the corner of the net to seal Argentina’s victory.
The goal made him the first men’s player to score in seven consecutive World Cup matches. It also increased his overall World Cup tally to 19 goals, extending his record as the competition’s highest scoring male player.
Another Milestone for Argentina’s Captain
The strike also added another chapter to Messi’s remarkable international career. It was the 72nd direct free kick goal of his professional career and his 12th for Argentina.
Messi now has 123 international goals in 202 appearances, leaving him second on the all time men’s list behind Cristiano Ronaldo’s 145 goals.
His latest free kick also placed him among a select group of players to score multiple direct free kicks in World Cup history. The achievement puts him alongside Pelé, Rivellino, Téofilo Cubillas, Bernard Genghini and David Beckham.
Argentina also received an important contribution from Giovani Lo Celso, who opened the scoring with a first half free kick. After the match, Lo Celso praised his captain’s influence on the squad.
“I am very happy for him, for the moment he is having,” Lo Celso said.
“The truth is that seeing him every day excites, excites and infects a lot. So obviously seeing him like that for us is very important.”
Knockout Stage Awaits
Messi started on the bench after dealing with a minor hamstring issue before the tournament. Argentina’s coaching staff also had little reason to risk him because the team had already guaranteed top spot in the group, while Jordan had no chance of reaching the knockout stage.
Even so, the atmosphere changed the moment Messi began warming up. Supporters repeatedly chanted his name before welcoming him with a standing ovation as he entered the field.
Argentina now moves into the Round of 32 as one of the tournament favourites. The team’s knockout campaign begins next Friday in South Florida.
Messi also leads the race for the Golden Boot with six goals. He sits two clear of Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior and Erling Haaland.
With five more matches separating Argentina from another possible World Cup title, Messi’s latest record has only strengthened belief that his extraordinary international career still has more history to make.
