Scaloni plans Argentina rotation for final World Cup group game

Argentina arrived at its final Group J game against Jordan with the hard part already done: first place secured, a place in the round of 32 locked, and Lionel Scaloni free to think beyond routine selection. The match in Dallas Stadium was less about preserving momentum than about preserving options, with the coaching staff weighing how to protect players carrying physical discomfort while keeping the squad ready for the volatility of the knockout bracket.

That calculation mattered because FIFA had placed Argentina in a Group J that also included Algeria, Austria and Jordan, a path that could push the winner into a later round against either a runner-up or one of the better third-placed sides. Argentina, the defending champion after lifting the trophy in Qatar 2022, came into the tournament trying to become the first side in more than 60 years to retain the World Cup.

Scaloni had made his 26-man squad official on May 28, and FIFA confirmed the shirt numbers on June 2. Lionel Messi wore No. 10, Julián Álvarez No. 9, Rodrigo De Paul No. 7 and Lautaro Martínez No. 22. The list also showed how sharply the champion had changed since Qatar: Franco Armani, Juan Foyth, Marcos Acuña, Ángel Di María, Alejandro Gómez, Paulo Dybala and Ángel Correa were left out.

The selection choices reflected a wider tournament plan, not just a single group stage. Argentina opened with a 3-0 win over Algeria, and Messi scored a hat-trick in a performance that underlined both his sixth World Cup campaign and his continuing centrality to Scaloni’s side. De Paul, meanwhile, reinforced why FIFA described him as “indispensable” for his tactical and emotional influence.

Against that backdrop, the final group match became a controlled test of depth rather than a must-win. Scaloni’s staff could measure fringe players under tournament pressure, hold back anyone with lingering issues and keep the core intact for the sudden shifts that injuries, suspensions or tactical changes can bring once the bracket turns unforgiving.