Jordan Takes on Argentina in the World Cup: Everything You Need to Know Before Kickoff

Argentina wraps up its dominant, Lionel Messi-fueled group stage campaign in Arlington on Saturday night, taking on already-eliminated first-timers Jordan.

After a Messi hat-trick helped the defending champions dispatch Algeria on Matchday 1, the legendary forward then netted twice more, surpassing Miroslav Klose's World Cup goals record in the process, to overcome a subdued Austria.

With a perfect nine points, Argentina has already secured its place in the round of 32 ahead of Saturday's encounter, with Uruguay or Cabo Verde likely awaiting in the next round.

Jordan's historic World Cup debut has yet to yield a single point, though the side has managed to score in both outings. Al-Nashama suffered a 3–1 defeat on Matchday 1, before Algeria came from behind to edge the Jordanians 2–1 in their second fixture.

The head-to-head tiebreaker has confirmed Jordan's elimination with one game remaining, but the side will aim to sign off on a positive note at its first-ever World Cup, playing at the iconic home of the Dallas Cowboys.

Jordan vs. Argentina Score Prediction

Rotated Albiceleste Ease to Victory

Argentina was widely doubted before the tournament began, with few expecting a 39-year-old Messi to perform at such an extraordinary level. Lionel Scaloni's squad had shown signs of growing beyond its iconic talisman since Qatar, yet this Albiceleste team is once again built around the singular mission of delivering Messi a second World Cup title.

How deep a run they can make this summer is still an open question, and Saturday is unlikely to provide many answers, with Scaloni set to ring the changes significantly.

Jordan has shown plenty of fight without much to show for it, but this matchup is a considerable mismatch. There should be only one outcome.

Prediction: Jordan 0–2 Argentina

Jordan Predicted Lineup vs. Argentina

Despite being knocked out, Jordan is expected to field a similar side to the one that faced Algeria on Matchday 2. Jamal Sellami will stick with a back three/five formation, with no injury concerns following the 2–1 loss.

Ali Olwan will once again lead the line for Jordan, having netted his nation's first-ever World Cup goal against Austria. He was unable to score in the last match, leaving him one goal short of equalling Hamza Al-Dardour's national record of 31 Jordan goals.

Olwan may benefit from facing a reshuffled Argentina backline, though he still faces a stern test at AT&T Stadium.

Wingback and skipper Ihsan Haddad will collect his 95th international appearance on Saturday.

Jordan predicted lineup vs. Argentina (3-4-3): Abulaila; Al-Arab, Nasib, Abu Dahab; Haddad, Al-Rashdan, Al-Rawabdeh, Abu Taha; Al-Tamari, Olwan, Al-Mardi.

Argentina Predicted Lineup vs. Jordan

Having made just a single change between the Algeria and Austria games, Scaloni is expected to introduce several fresh faces on Matchday 3, with Argentina already confirmed as group winners.

Lionel Messi tops the Golden Boot standings with five goals, but it's worth noting he arrived at the tournament carrying a knock, and this could be an ideal opportunity to give him a rest. He is among a number of key players who may be given the evening off.

Cristian Romero is almost certain to be held out after picking up a minor knee injury against Austria. The centre-back played down concerns about the severity of the problem after the match, but he is not expected to feature again until the round of 32. Experienced campaigner Nicolás Otamendi is set to come in alongside Lisandro Martínez.

Julián Alvarez has yet to make a significant impact due to an ankle problem, using the opening two matches to work his way back to full fitness. The forward has declared himself ready to play a bigger role, and he could earn his first start of the tournament on Matchday 3. Nico González may be deployed in attack should Scaloni opt to rest Messi.

Argentina predicted lineup vs. Jordan (4-4-2): E. Martínez; Montiel, Otamendi, L. Martínez, Tagliafico; De Paul, Paredes, Fernández, Almada; González, Alvarez.

Pick Your World Cup Starting XIs!

What Time Does Jordan vs. Argentina Kick Off?

How to Watch Jordan vs. Argentina on TV, Live Stream

SI answers is our AI answer engine trained on human-created content.

READ THE LATEST WORLD CUP NEWS, PREVIEWS & ANALYSIS HERE

James Cormack is a freelance soccer writer for Sports Illustrated FC. An expert on Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, he covers Italian and German football, with a particular focus on the work of Antonio Conte & Julian Nagelsmann.