Lionel Messi came off the bench to score a stunning free-kick to become the first player in history to score in seven consecutive World Cup matches as Argentina dispatched Jordan 3-1 at AT&T Stadium to complete a perfect Group J campaign.
With the starters already assured of top spot before kick-off, manager Lionel Scaloni made sweeping changes to his starting line-up, handing minutes to fringe players and keeping Messi on the bench.
It did not prevent Argentina from taking control with its family authority.
Giovani Lo Celso broke the deadlock in the 19th minute, curling a free-kick just beyond the reach of Yazeed Abu Laila to give the South Americans a deserved lead.
It was a goal worthy of the occasion, composed, incisive and almost inevitable.
Argentina doubled their lead before half-time when a VAR check confirmed a penalty, and Lautaro MartÃnez stepped in to convert from the spot in the 31st minute.
Jordan, outscored 73 to 27 percent, was firmly under the hammer.
Jordan had a moment to remember early in the second half.
Substitute Mousa Al-Tamari, brought on at the interval, tapped home in the 55th minute from an assist from Ehsan Haddad to pull one back and inject rare uncertainty into the game.
The goal spurred Scaloni into action. Messi was introduced in the 60th minute alongside Alexis Mac Allister and Thiago Almada, a triple substitution that signaled Argentina’s intention to kill the game rather than let Jordan build momentum.
Twenty minutes after his arrival, Messi duly complied.
Given a free-kick opportunity on the edge of the box, the 39-year-old curled a low, accurate effort around the wall and into the bottom left corner, Abu Laila rooted to the spot as the net rippled.
The goal was his sixth of the tournament and 19th in World Cup history, extending his own all-time record.
It also made him the first male player to score in seven consecutive World Cup matches, another page added to an already incomprehensible legacy.
The statistics underlined Argentina’s dominance throughout. They registered 12 total shots to Jordan’s five, had 73% possession and completed 735 of 799 passes with 92% accuracy.
Jordan’s resistance was vigorous, but the gulf in class was unmistakable.
Jordan’s night was further compounded by three yellow cards, with Mohannad Abu Taha booked early in the first half, Yazan Al-Arab booked after the break and substitute Shararh picking up a stoppage-time booking.
