Argentina wrapped up Group J with a perfect nine points, dismissing Jordan 3-1 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington to confirm what their record had already suggested: nobody in this group came close to them. Lionel Scaloni rotated, rested key men, and still his side were two goals up before half-time and in cruise control long before the final whistle.
Giovani Lo Celso set the tone on 19 minutes, scoring from open play to give Argentina a lead that always felt like the tip of something larger. Jordan, set up in a 3-4-2-1 by Jamal Sellami, had 27 per cent of the ball across 90 minutes and managed just five shots in total. They were compact and disciplined in shape, but Argentina's 92 per cent pass accuracy, built on 799 total passes, told its own story about who was dictating terms.
The second arrived from the spot on 31 minutes, Lautaro Martínez converting the penalty to double the advantage. Jordan had not been overrun in a footballing sense at that point, and their shape held reasonable structure, but Argentina's expected goals figure of 2.14 against the hosts' 0.74 captures just how thoroughly Scaloni's men controlled the game's meaningful moments.
The interval offered Jordan a chance to regroup, and they produced the one passage of play that genuinely threatened to make a match of it. Mousa Tamari, introduced at the break alongside Mahmoud Al-Mardi, pulled one back on 55 minutes with a composed finish, converting after good work from Ehsan Haddad on the right. For roughly a quarter of an hour, with the score at 1-2, there was at least the outline of a contest. Jordan had their crowd noise, their hope, and too little else.
Scaloni answered with the only response that mattered. Lionel Messi came off the bench and, with 30 minutes remaining, reminded everyone of his continued relevance at this level. His goal on 80 minutes restored the two-goal cushion and ended any pretence that Jordan could mount a recovery. Argentina finished with six corners to Jordan's two, and Emiliano Martínez was barely required, making no saves across the entire 90 minutes. There is something faintly surreal about a World Cup match in which the goalkeeper of the winning side has nothing to do.
For Jordan, it is a tournament to learn from. Three defeats from three, eight goals conceded against only three scored, and no points from Group J. Tamari's goal was their solitary moment of genuine quality, and Haddad's assist showed there is technical ability in this squad. But Sellami's side were outclassed in possession and outthought in every phase that mattered, collecting three yellow cards to Argentina's none.
Argentina, meanwhile, go through as Group J winners with maximum points and a goal difference of plus seven. They conceded just the once across their final two group games, keeping their overall tally to eight scored and one against over three matches. Whether Scaloni's willingness to rotate proves shrewd deeper in the tournament remains to be seen, but the evidence from this group phase is that even a secondary lineup is more than sufficient to deal with the opposition placed in front of them.
Paredes was authoritative at the base of midfield for a full 90 minutes. Lo Celso was sharp and influential before making way on the hour. And Messi, for his 30 minutes, was the best player on the pitch. The world champions march on.