Argentina won 1-3 in Jordan vs Argentina, but the strongest part of the story sat with the individual ratings. Giovani Lo Celso scored on his World Cup debut and led the starters with a 7.9 rating, while Lionel Messi came off the bench for 32 minutes, scored once and still posted an 8.5. In a dead rubber with top spot already secured, that was more revealing than the scoreline itself.

Lo Celso set the tone early

Lo Celso's opener arrived in the 19th minute and gave Lionel Scaloni's rotated side control straight away. Lautaro Martínez then added a penalty in the 31st minute, and from there Argentina could play the game on their terms rather than chase it.

That control showed up in the numbers as well. Argentina had 73% possession, which fits the feel of the match. Jordan spent long stretches without the ball, and the game never became chaotic enough to trouble the South Americans for long.

Sports Mole's match report said: "Gio Lo Celso has been named FIFA Man of the Match after Argentina's victory against Jordan." That looked fair enough. His 7.9 rating was the best among the starters, and he was involved in the cleanest attacking moments before he went off.

There is a small point of dispute around his night. One report credited Lo Celso with having two more efforts ruled out, which added to the sense that he could have had more than one. The verified match events still show only one goal for him, so the stronger line is that he starred with a debut goal rather than treating it as a brace story.

Messi's cameo was still the headline grabber

Messi only entered in the 60th minute, but he still ended up with the highest rating on either side at 8.5. He scored in the 80th minute and finished the game in the familiar way he has handled most of this tournament: by making limited touches feel decisive.

Roberto Casillas wrote for si.com: "Messi put the cherry on top of another comfortable Argentina win." That sums up the cameo neatly. Argentina were already in control, but Messi still sharpened the result and the mood of the game once he arrived.

His goal carried proper tournament weight too. It made him the first player ever to score in seven consecutive World Cup games, using the historical mark exactly as recorded. It was also his sixth goal of the group stage, which is a serious return even before the knockout rounds begin.

The ratings angle and the tournament angle meet in the same place here. Lo Celso was Argentina's best starter and fully deserved the attention. Messi, though, keeps bending matches in short bursts, and an 8.5 rating from 32 minutes is hard to argue with.

Jordan's best moments and Argentina's bigger takeaway

Jordan did get something from the night through their own standout substitute. Mousa Tamari was their highest-rated player at 7.7 and scored the visitors' only goal, giving the final scoreline a little more life than the overall balance of play suggested.

At the other end, Emiliano Martínez was part of an Argentina side that was rarely stretched for long. The bigger takeaway was the depth of the squad. Scaloni rotated, still got a debut goal from Lo Celso, still saw Lautaro convert from the spot, and still had Messi available to settle things late.

For player ratings, the order was pretty clear. Lo Celso produced the best all-round start, Messi delivered the sharpest cameo, and Argentina moved on from the group stage with a comfortable 3-1 win over Jordan.

FAQ

Why did Giovani Lo Celso rate so highly against Jordan?

Lo Celso scored Argentina's opening goal in the 19th minute on his World Cup debut and finished with a 7.9 rating, the best mark among Argentina's starters. He also had two further efforts disallowed, which added to the sense that he was central to most of Argentina's best attacking work before coming off.

How good was Lionel Messi against Jordan if he only played 32 minutes?

Messi only came on in the 60th minute but still scored in the 80th and posted an 8.5 rating. For a short cameo, that is serious impact. He changed the tone late on and still looked like the sharpest attacking player on the pitch despite not starting.

Did Messi set a World Cup scoring record against Jordan?

Yes, his goal made him the first player ever to score in seven consecutive World Cup games. It also took him to six goals in the group stage, which underlined how productive his tournament has been even when Lionel Scaloni rotates the side.

Was Argentina fully in control against Jordan?

Pretty much, yes. Argentina had 73% possession and won 3-1 in a match they controlled for long spells. Lo Celso scored first, Lautaro Martínez added a penalty in the 31st minute, and Messi finished the job after coming off the bench.

Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →