Lautaro Martínez hails Argentina’s serious win over Jordan, eyes Cabo Verde

Argentina beat Jordan 3-1 at Dallas Stadium, also known as AT&T Stadium, and Lautaro Martínez’s first World Cup goal helped turn a group-stage match into a statement of intent. The win came in the third round of Group J at the 2026 World Cup and kept Argentina perfect through the opening phase.

Giovani Lo Celso opened the scoring in the 19th minute, Lautaro Martínez converted a penalty in the 31st, and Lionel Messi added the third in the 80th after coming off the bench. Yazan Al-Naimat pulled one back for Jordan in the 55th minute, but Argentina never lost control of a match played on June 27, 2026, in Dallas, Texas, under referee Istvan Kovacs.

Lautaro’s finish carried added weight beyond the scoreboard. The forward treated the meeting with Jordan as a serious test, reflecting the standard inside the Argentina camp that even a lower-profile opponent must be met with urgency and precision. That attitude showed in the result and in the way Argentina spread responsibility across the squad, with Lo Celso scoring early, Lautaro converting from the spot and Messi making an impact after entering from the bench.

The context mattered, too. FIFA had framed Jordan as a World Cup debutant in Group J alongside Argentina, Austria and Algeria, and the matchup in Dallas fit a wider pattern of a champion side protecting its status against ambitious opposition. Argentina’s clean group-stage record now sends the defending power into the knockout bracket with no blemish on its campaign.

The next test is already set. Argentina will face Cabo Verde in the round of 16 on Friday, July 3, 2026, and Lautaro has already pointed to the danger in assuming anything about the next opponent. Cabo Verde arrives with a strong run of its own, and Argentina’s starting point remains the same standard that shaped the win over Jordan: treat every game like it carries consequences.