Argentina’s defending champions will be out without their talented captain Lionel Messi in the starting line-up as they face hosts Jordan in their Group J final on Sunday.With Argentina already wrapped up in top spot in Group J, head coach Lionel Scaloni has decided to wrap his crown in cotton wool. Speaking on Saturday, just two days after Messi celebrated his 39th birthday, Scaloni confirmed that the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer will start on the bench, although he indicated that the maestro would be present.“Messi will start the game on the bench, but he will come a little later,” Scaloni told reporters, keeping his smart cards to his chest without revealing the exact time of the substitution or his starting XI.The concept comes as a readable part of asset management. Messi has single-handedly led Argentina’s campaign in North America, scoring all five goals so far. He scored an Algerian hat-trick to match his all-time goalscoring record before breaking Miroslav Klose and Marta’s streak with a clinical goal against Austria on Monday.In addition, Messi’s preparations for the quadrennial showpiece were hampered by a series of injuries during his home season with Inter Miami. Although there have been no apparent concerns since the start of the race, the Argentine camp is well aware of the marathon that lies ahead.Argentina’s quest for a back-to-back world crown enters the business end next Friday in South Florida. If La Albiceleste reach the top spot on July 20, they will face a grueling, unforgiving schedule of five games packed into just 17 days.Given the amount of knock-on football in modern times, saving Messi’s legs against an out-of-sorts Jordan team is the best option. While the fans inside the stadium are eager to know the technicalities, Scaloni’s attention is well-trained to ensure that his genius is working 100 percent when it comes to the limit of success.
