jasdooit

Lionel Messihas been selected for the bench in Argentina’s final matchWorld Cupgroup match against Jordan in Dallas.

The reigning champions have already qualified for the elimination rounds with strong victories over Algeria andAustria.

Messi has been a key player in both matches, netting all five goals for Argentina to continue his impressive form from 2022.

The Inter Miami striker is currently at the top of the Golden Boot standings, withKylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Erling Haalandright behind him with four goals.

Manchester Citystriker Haaland failed to increase his count on Friday despite being unexpectedlysuspended for Norway’s last group match against France.

With Argentina already qualified for the knockout stages, head coach Lionel Scaloni stated before the match that he will maintain the same strategy with Messi, aiming to keep the 39-year-old player in good condition for the latter part of the tournament.

“Leo will head to the bench,” Scaloni mentioned during a press conference on Friday.

Nevertheless, Scaloni confirmed that he plans to bring Messi into the game at some stage, stating: ‘I will keep the final starting line-up a secret, but Leo will come on later.’

We discussed and reached an agreement that it was the better option, but clearly, it’s also beneficial for him to maintain his competitive edge.

Scanoli also suggested that he plans to implement broad changes to his squad in an effort to give playing time to players who have yet to feature in this competition.

He further stated, ‘The significant achievement of all that has been accomplished belongs to the boys who are consistently present and push themselves to their maximum.’

I believe that when there’s a chance, talented players also have the right to step in. The goal is for the team to maintain a consistent style of play.

No matter what happens today, Argentina will finish first in Group J and have a promising match against Cape Verde in the round of 32.

If they defeat the tournament newcomers, the reigning champions will then play against either Egypt or Australia to secure a spot in the quarterfinals.

All the essential information about the World Cup – including England news, matches to see, and stories you might have overlooked – in five minutes, at 1pm, daily.