Lionel Messi to Bench Against Jordan in World Cup

Dallas. World Cup top scorer Lionel Messi will be on the bench in Argentina's final group stage match against Jordan. Argentina team's head coach Lionel Scaloni confirmed that Messi will not start the game. The 39-year-old Messi has scored 5 goals in the first two matches of the current World Cup, topping the race for the Golden Boot. With two goals against Austria, he also became the all-time top scorer in World Cup history. Coach Scaloni, speaking before the match to be held on Sunday morning in Dallas, clarified that the decision to rest the superstar Messi was not due to any injury. He said, 'Leo will possibly come on in the second half. We made this decision after discussion, but it will be equally good to keep him in the rhythm of the game by putting him on the field.' He stated that who plays in the upcoming matches will not affect the team selection for tomorrow's game. Commenting that Jordan is a good team, he revealed the strategy to keep the ball under control, put pressure, and be alert against Jordan's fast-paced strikers. Meanwhile, in the match where France defeated Norway 4-1, Kylian Mbappe could not add to his goal tally. Mbappe of France, who has scored four goals, and Erling Haaland of Norway were both limited to the bench in this match. However, Ousmane Dembele of France, with an excellent hat-trick in the first half, has brought his goal tally in the current tournament to four, establishing himself as a strong contender for the Golden Boot.