Messi Makes History Again While Portugal Limp Into the Last 32 — World Cup 2026 Saturday Round-Up

By Sportsoya | June 28, 2026

Saturday at the 2026 World Cup delivered the tournament’s sharpest contrast yet. In Dallas, Lionel Messi came off the bench to break a record that had stood since the World Cup began. In Miami, Cristiano Ronaldo shuffled through the final minutes of a 0-0 draw against Colombia barely able to lift his feet. Same stage. The same tournament. A universe apart.

Argentina 3-1 Jordan: Messi Rewrites the Record Books Again

Lionel Scaloni made nine changes against Jordan resting Messi, Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernández and several other regulars with the group already won. It was a calculated gamble, and for 60 minutes it looked like it might backfire.

Without their talisman, Argentina were functional but uninspiring. Giovani Lo Celso broke the deadlock in the 19th minute with a curled free kick into the top corner, becoming the first Argentina player other than Messi to score at this World Cup a striking statistic that illustrated just how dominant their captain has been. Lo Celso also became the first Argentina player to score on his World Cup debut since Martín Palermo against Greece in 2010.

Lautaro Martínez added a penalty in the 31st minute his first World Cup goal after a chaotic sequence in which Julián Álvarez struck the crossbar, Marcos Senesi forced a save while being kicked in the face, and a foul was eventually spotted by VAR.

Then Jordan reminded everyone this is a football tournament, not a coronation. Mousa Al-Tamari swept in a sensational Ehsan Haddad cross after a lovely Jordan move that carried them from the back to the right touchline. For ten nervous minutes, Argentina looked rattled uncharacteristically disorganized at the back, uncertain in possession. A team that has conceded just one goal in two games suddenly looked vulnerable.

The Record That Nobody Else Will Ever Break

Introduced in the 60th minute, Messi required just twenty minutes to add another chapter to his legend. After skipping past Amer Jamous and winning a free kick, he curled the set piece around the Jordan wall and into the net his 19th World Cup goal, and his sixth of this tournament alone.

The numbers behind this achievement are staggering. Messi took a commanding lead in the Golden Boot race with six group stage goals two clear of his nearest rivals. He became the first player in history to score in seven consecutive World Cup appearances, and only the second Argentine to play in a World Cup match aged 39, after Angel Labruna in 1958.

Scaloni was typically measured in his assessment: “It’s a bit of an awkward situation for me because I don’t know what else to say. He could have played 90 minutes today and might have added to that legend. But he preferred to give his teammates some playing time and focus on what lies ahead. That speaks volumes about him.”

SportSoya Analysis: Argentina’s Warning Sign Nobody Is Talking About

Argentina are through as group winners with a perfect record three wins from three, nine goals scored. But there is a real concern buried inside this result that the record books cannot hide.

Jordan, ranked 87th in the world and making their World Cup debut, scored against the defending champions and made them genuinely uncomfortable for ten minutes in a game Argentina rotated heavily for. The defensive lapse that led to Al-Tamari’s goal a complete breakdown in organization on the counter would be instantly fatal against Cape Verde, France, or Spain in the knockout rounds.

Julián Álvarez also continues to look short of full fitness and rhythm. The Manchester City forward who was instrumental in Argentina’s 2022 triumph is yet to find his best form here. Scaloni’s squad depth is extraordinary, but if Álvarez cannot rediscover himself, Argentina’s attacking options narrow considerably when opponents neutralise Messi.

The road from this point on with only four days between knockout matches compared to five for teams on the other side of the bracket — will test Argentina’s depth in ways the group stage could not.

Portugal 0-0 Colombia: Saved by Diogo Costa and a Millimetre of VAR

If Argentina’s performance raised questions, Portugal’s raised alarms.

Colombia had 24 total shots to Portugal’s 13. Portugal’s xG was just 0.70 and only 0.18 in the second half. Colombia had 55% possession and 35 touches in the Portugal box compared to Portugal’s 13. Portugal were categorically outplayed.

The only reasons Portugal did not lose were Diogo Costa who made six saves and was comfortably the best player on the pitch and a VAR decision so tight it required multiple replays to confirm Davinson Sánchez was marginally offside when his stoppage-time header crossed the line.

By the final whistle, Ronaldo could barely move more quickly than a shuffle. The game started with a “feels like” temperature as high as 106 degrees Fahrenheit in Miami brutal conditions for a 41-year-old playing every single minute of this tournament.

Wayne Rooney was direct in his assessment for the BBC: “He’s not connected, really, with the team. He doesn’t defend that much. He’s not joining in with his teammates. Messi doesn’t get back but his Argentina teammates run and get back. Portugal can’t afford to have his teammates not doing that defensive work.”

Kevin Prince Boateng went further: “Can I be honest? Ronaldo, if he would be a real team player, would step down and let the young players flow. Portugal is a better side without him.”

SportSoya Analysis: Martínez’s Ronaldo Problem Has No Easy Answer

Roberto Martínez faces a dilemma with no comfortable exit. Dropping Ronaldo would create a media storm of historic proportions and potentially fracture the dressing room. Playing him risks exhausting a 41-year-old who is already visibly drained in the final minutes of group games — before the real tournament has even begun.

Martínez’s response when asked why he does not manage Ronaldo’s minutes the way Scaloni manages Messi’s was telling: “We don’t compare with other players of other teams. That would be childish.” With respect to the Portugal coach, that answer dodges the question entirely. The comparison is entirely valid. Scaloni is protecting his greatest asset for the knockout rounds. Martínez is burning his.

Portugal’s talent without Ronaldo at centre forward is genuinely exceptional Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, Rafael Leão, João Félix, and Gonçalo Ramos represent one of the most gifted attacking groups in this tournament. The question Martínez cannot keep avoiding is whether Ronaldo makes that group better or more restricted. Saturday’s performance suggested the latter.

Portugal face Croatia in the Round of 32. Croatia are organised, experienced, and dangerous in knockout football. Portugal cannot afford a performance like that against them.

The Verdict

Argentina are the tournament’s best team and Messi is its most compelling story. But the Jordan wobble was real and Scaloni would be foolish to ignore it.

Portugal have the squad to go deep in this tournament. But they may not have the coaching decisions to match.

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