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Messi to start final Argentina group match on bench

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption,

Messi has now scored a record 18 World Cup goals

By Matt Davis

BBC Sport senior journalist

Published 6 hours ago

World Cup top scorer Lionel Messi will start Argentina's final group match against Jordan on the bench, manager Lionel Scaloni has confirmed.

Messi, 39, leads the Golden Boot standings with five goals from his first two matches, including a double against Austria that made him the World Cup's all-time record goalscorer.

Scaloni said the decision to rest the superstar was not injury related as he spoke before the match in Dallas, which will kick-off at 03:00 BST on Sunday.

"Leo [Messi] will most likely come on in the second half," he said.

"We talked and agreed that it was better that way, but obviously it's also good for him to stay in competitive form."

He added: "The decision of who plays tomorrow is not related to who plays in the next match.

"Jordan is a good opponent, and our intention will be to have the ball and dominate through possession. The opponent's forwards are fast and we will have to take that into account."

Kylian Mbappe failed to add to his four goals in France's 4-1 win over Norway, a game that saw Erling Haaland, also on four goals, stay on the bench.

But Ousmane Dembele put himself into Golden Boot contention with a first-half hat-trick to move to four goals for the tournament.

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Messi to start final Argentina group match on bench

Messi to start final Argentina group match on bench

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