Argentina has successfully secured its place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32, following a decisive 3-1 victory over Jordan on June 28. The win was highlighted by a significant goal from Lionel Messi, his sixth of the tournament. Joining Argentina in advancing from Group J are Austria and Algeria, who battled to an entertaining 3-3 draw. Unfortunately for Asian football fans, this outcome ultimately led to the elimination of Iran and South Korea, as they narrowly missed out on qualification as best third-placed teams.
Despite starting the match on the bench and only entering the game 60 minutes in, the 39-year-old Argentine captain, Lionel Messi, wasted no time making his presence felt. Just 20 minutes after his introduction in the second half, Messi found the back of the net in the 80th minute, solidifying Argentina’s 3-1 lead against Jordan. This crucial goal marked his sixth strike in the 2026 World Cup campaign and further extended his incredible record, bringing his total World Cup goal tally to 19, making him the tournament’s all-time leading scorer.
Before Messi’s late heroics sealed the win for Argentina, Giovani Lo Celso and Lautaro Martinez had already put their nation in a comfortable position, scoring in the 19th and 31st minutes respectively. Jordan managed to pull one back through Mousa Tamari in the 55th minute, but their effort was not enough to challenge Argentina’s dominance. Meanwhile, the concurrent Group J match between Austria and Algeria proved to be a thrilling encounter. Both teams displayed remarkable resilience and attacking prowess, resulting in a six-goal stalemate. Austria consistently took the lead, only for Algeria to find an equalizer each time, culminating in a 3-3 draw that secured both teams’ progression.
The shared point from their draw meant that Austria finished second in Group J with four points, while Algeria also accumulated four points, earning them a coveted spot in the Round of 32 as one of the best third-placed teams. This dramatic conclusion to Group J had significant repercussions for other nations. The advancement of Algeria, in particular, dashed the hopes of Iran and South Korea, who had been anxiously awaiting results to see if their points tally would be sufficient for a best third-placed qualification. Ultimately, they were unable to secure a berth in the knockout stages.
Shifting focus to Group L, England demonstrated their class by topping the group after a confident 2-0 victory over Panama. The goals for England came from striker Harry Kane and midfielder Jude Bellingham, with each netting once. Notably, Harry Kane, the prolific forward currently playing for Bayern Munich, continued to cement his legacy on the international stage, with his goal bringing his total World Cup tally for England to an impressive 11.
In another Group L fixture, Croatia secured a vital 2-1 win against Ghana, propelling the European side to second place in the group with six points, thus guaranteeing their spot in the Round of 32. Ghana, despite the loss, also managed to qualify for the knockout stages as a best third-placed team, having accumulated four points from their three group matches.
The action continued in Group K, where Colombia maintained their top position in the standings following a goalless 0-0 draw against Portugal. This result saw Colombia finish with seven points, while Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal secured second place in the group with five points. In the other Group K match, Congo staged an impressive comeback to defeat Uzbekistan 3-1, securing their place in the knockout round as another strong third-placed qualifier. This final set of results across the groups officially extinguished any lingering hopes for South Korea, confirming their elimination from the 2026 World Cup.
