Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has confirmed that Lionel Messi will start on the bench for the team’s World Cup group stage match against Jordan on June 27, 2026, but will enter during the second half. The decision reflects a calculated approach to managing the 39-year-old captain’s workload as the tournament shifts toward the knockout rounds.
Scaloni noted that Messi “will play tomorrow but does not know how many minutes.”
Why bench the greatest ever
Argentina have already punched their ticket to the Round of 16. He’s reportedly preparing to rotate his squad significantly, with as many as seven players potentially making their World Cup debuts against Jordan.
For Messi, the logic is straightforward. At 39, managing minutes across a tournament isn’t optional. Messi himself has reportedly expressed a preference for playing a limited role rather than sitting out completely, wanting to maintain match rhythm heading into the elimination rounds.
