Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni admitted he is running out of words to describe Lionel Messi after his captain became the first player to score in seven consecutive World Cup matches during Saturday’s 3-1 victory over Jordan.
Introduced from the bench just after the hour mark at Dallas Stadium, Messi found the net with an 80th-minute free kick, extending his remarkable scoring streak and surpassing the record he had previously shared with France’s Just Fontaine and Brazil’s Jairzinho.
"It's becoming a bit difficult when people ask me about him because I honestly don't know what else to say," Scaloni said when questioned once again about Messi’s performance.
"He could have easily played the full 90 minutes today. But, without taking anything away from our opponents, he wanted his teammates to get some time on the pitch while also preserving himself for the matches ahead.
"He isn't focused on the statistics everyone keeps talking about. The only word that comes to mind is that I'm still amazed."
Messi’s goal capped off a comfortable victory for the reigning champions, who had already built a two-goal lead before halftime thanks to a Giovani Lo Celso free kick and a Lautaro Martinez penalty.
Those two goals marked the first time in the current World Cup that Argentina had scored without Messi, before the 39-year-old added his sixth goal of the tournament to remain the competition’s leading scorer.
Having made nine changes to his starting lineup, Scaloni was pleased with the performances of players who had seen limited action earlier in the tournament.
"I'm very pleased, especially because we managed to give every player some minutes, which was always one of our objectives," he said.
"I believe they all deserve the opportunity to experience playing in a World Cup, and today we were able to make that happen. I thought they performed very well in what was a challenging match.
"They proved to me today that I can rely on every one of them."
Argentina will next face Cape Verde in the Round of 32 in Miami, and Scaloni insisted his side will not underestimate the tournament newcomers.
"Based on what I've seen, their progress doesn't surprise me," he said. "They're a very good team and they've made life difficult for every opponent they've faced.
"Spain couldn't beat them, and neither could Uruguay. They're quick, they play with great quality, and I can assure you they'll make things very difficult for us."
