Argentina beat Jordan with nine players making their starting debuts in the 2026 World Cup.
With first place in Group J guaranteed, Lionel Scaloni lined the Albiceleste up with a completely different XI. Dibu Martinez and Lautaro Martinez were the only usual starters in it. Lionel Messi, Alexis Mac Allister and Thiago Almada all came on in the 60th-minute mark.
And while Jordan did pull one back in the second half, the first one brought a new and rather interesting tactical look for the current champions.
Scaloni chose an asymmetrical 4-3-3 with Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez constantly switching between centre-forward and a second striker down the left.
Giuliano Simeone offered width down the right-hand side while Giovani Lo Celso tucked inside on the left, forming a midfield trio with Nico Paz and Leandro Paredes as a deep-lying playmaker behind them.
How did Argentina present a different approach against Jordan?
Defensive intensity
This specific group of players offers a lot more energy out of possession. Alvarez and Simeone are used to chasing defenders and pressing opponents at Atletico Madrid and gave the Argentina attack an aggressive approach whenever they lost the ball.
For perspective, the Albiceleste recorded their lowest PPDA in a game this World Cup against Jordan – by a wide margin.
| Opponent | Argentina PPDA |
|---|---|
| Algeria | 20.0 |
| Austria | 15.2 |
| Jordan | 8.6 |
For the first half tonight, when they had more intent, the PPDA was at 7.6. The current champions took their foot off the gas a little bit in the second half after going 2-0 up.
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Width and right flank preference
Having a proper winger like Giuliano Simeone gives Argentina the option to stretch the pitch. This is not their usual configuration, as they always look to overload the central corridor and play down the middle.
Granted, whenever Nico Gonzalez comes off the bench, it’s a similar alternative – but on the left-hand side. And he is usually the only winger who comes off the bench.
Tonight, not only did Simeone’s presence change that dynamic giving them width down the right, but the team as a whole favoured that flank completely. They basically ignored the centre – which is their preferred route going forward.
Exequiel Palacios as a deep-lying playmaker from the right-back position was crucial to them controlling the game from that side.
For perspective, here are the Albiceleste’s flank splits from all their full games so far. Bear in mind, Scaloni brought on a few starters in the second half against Jordan – including Lionel Messi, which conditioned their central play for the rest of the match.
| Opponent | Left flank | Central flank | Right flank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Algeria | 41% | 33% | 26% |
| Austria | 32% | 38% | 29% |
| Jordan | 22% | 31% | 48% |
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Set pieces
All three of Argentina’s goals against Jordan came in set pieces. But two direct free-kicks and one penalty don’t tell the whole story of how much danger they created from those situations.
It’s more about their mentality in what was theoretically a meaningless game for them. The players showed a lot of energy and attention – especially in the first half hour of play.
Lo Celso scored a brilliant free-kick but it was his anticipation to the ball that led to him winning a foul just around the box in the first place. And it’s another example of how they forced Jordan into mistakes right after losing possession.
Marcos Senesi also anticipated himself to the defender – who ended up kicking him in the face. And that whole sequence started from a corner kick. Nicolas Otamendi nearly scored from another set piece just before the break.
Of course, Argentina slowed down in the second half and in a rare lapse of concentration even conceded. But Messi’s brilliance eventually showed up to seal the deal – and turned him into the first ever player to score in seven consecutive World Cup matches.
The Albiceleste will now face Cape Verde in the round of 32.
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