Messi comes on from bench, equals World Cup free-kick goals record in Jordan match

3 min readUpdated: Jun 28, 2026 10:13 AM IST

Messi equalled the World Cup free-kick goals record with his second strike and 19th goal overall in the tournament. (AP Photo)

Lionel Messi continued his sublime World Cup goal-scoring form as he stepped up from the bench and struck a superb free-kick goal in Argentina’s 3-1 win in their final Group J match against Jordan in Arlington on Saturday night.

HIGHLIGHTS: Argentina vs Jordan

Having already made the knockouts, Lionel Scaloni didn’t start with Messi, who had already scored five goals in the tournament. But even without their talismanic figure, Argentina looked a team that knows what to do. Giovani Lo Celso opened the account for Argentina in the 19th minute with a free-kick before Lautaro Martinez converted one from the spot in the 31st minute to double the lead. It was a period when Argentina entered autopilot mode until Musa al Tamari reduced the margin in the 55th minute.

The 39-year-old Messi extended his World Cup goal-scoring record to 19 goals, with a superb 80th-minute strike from the set-piece, 20 minutes after coming on for Martinez who smashed home a first-half penalty. When he was brought down just outside the box, Messi was lining up to shoot with his left-foot from a position where he has scored countless goals. Instead, he had a free-kick to make use of. Jordan sensed the threat. Built a strong wall. Messi stood 25 yards away. Goalkeeper Yazeed Abulaila used every second available to ensure there wasn’t any loose gaps in the wall, even ensuring the far post was fully covered. Instead, Messi curled one low to his left. It was nowhere close to the corner, but Abulaila was left wrong footed. He seemed to be preparing for Messi to over the wall, and didn’t move an each, watching the ball roll over into the net as Texas erupted. That goal, not his best, was enough for Messi to enter another record book – he now has scored in seven consecutive World Cup fixtures, the first to do so.

Messi curls the free-kick around the Jordan wall for his 19th World Cup goal. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Messi became only the fourth man to net two World Cup goals via a free-kick, equalling Brazil’s Rivellino (1970 and 1974), France’s Bernard Genghini (1982) and David Beckham who scored twice in 1998 and 2006 for England.

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Messi’s previous free-kick strike came in his third World Cup edition in 2014 where Argentina cruised to the final before falling to Germany. Messi’s free-kick goal was born in the group-stage clash against Nigeria which Argentina won 3-2 on the back of his brace.

Most goals in World Cup history

Rank

Player

Team

Goals

scored

Matches

played

Goals

per

match

Tournaments

1

Lionel Messi

Argentina

19

29

0.65

2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026

2

Miroslav Klose

Germany

16

24

0.67

2002, 2006, 2010, 2014

3

Ronaldo

Brazil

15

19

0.79

1994, 1998, 2002, 2006

4

Gerd Müller

West Germany

14

13

1.08

1970, 1974

5

Kylian Mbappé

France

14

15

0.93

2018, 2022, 2026

6

Just Fontaine

France

13

6

2.17

1958

7

Pelé

Brazil

12

14

0.86

1958, 1962, 1966, 1970

8

Sándor Kocsis

Hungary

11

5

2.2

1954

9

Jürgen Klinsmann

West Germany

Germany

11

17

0.65

1990

1994, 1998

10

Helmut Rahn

West Germany

10

10

1

1954, 1958

The Argentina talisman opened the World Cup with a sizzling hat-trick against Algeria before securing a brace against Austria, leading the goal-scoring charts in the edition comfortably with six strikes in three games.