Lionel Messi sent Argentina to the 2026 World Cup Round of 32 after a superb performance against Austria, although not everything was positive. Looking ahead to the final match against Jordan, defender Cristian Romero will be unavailable after feeling discomfort in his knee. The positive note is that his participation in the tournament is reportedly not at risk.
Insider Gaston Edul of the Argentine outlet TyC Sports also reported via his X account that the player will undergo tests to determine the extent of his injury, which will force him to rest for a few days.
With qualification secured and Argentina leading the Group J standings, Lionel Scaloni will be able to test alternatives in the final match. Nicolas Otamendi, who came on to replace Romero during the game, is one of the options.
Cristian Romero’s recent injury
Argentina’s defensive anchor, Cristian Romero, suffered a major setback in mid-April 2026 after sustaining a knee injury during a 1-0 Premier League defeat against Sunderland. Medical scans later confirmed a partial tear of his medial collateral ligament (MCL), forcing him to miss the remainder of the club season and delivering a heavy blow to Tottenham’s’ defense.
Cristian Romero of Tottenham Hotspur reacts during the Premier League match.
Will Messi play against Jordan?
Although the Argentina national team has already secured its place in the next stage, there is a specific reason why its biggest star could still feature instead of resting. Lionel Messi leads the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot race with five goals in two matches and will look to score even more to further strengthen his standing.
Lionel Messi #10 of Argentina celebrates after scoring his team’s first goal.
What’s next for Argentina?
For the final fixture of the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage, Lionel Messi and Argentina will face Jordan on Saturday, June 27, 2026. This decisive Group J match will take place at Dallas Stadium for the tournament in Arlington, kicking off at 10:00 PM ET.
