World Cup Group J: Be Careful, Don't Fall into Messi's Trap!

A child has not yet blown out the candles on his seventh birthday cake, but he speaks loudly and confidently in front of the camera. His performance on the field is even more captivating.

The boy, who once received training from the Barcelona academy, is said to have had a professional mentality from a young age. When the ball is at his feet, it seems as though the round object becomes an extension of his body.

"He has a way of thinking that makes him feel that the ball is a part of him, and he plays with team spirit," said a coach who nurtured the talent of the young boy.

We are not talking about the special talent from Rosario, Argentina, who later grew to become a legend of Barcelona and a global football megastar, Lionel Messi. That talent is named Odeh al-Fakhouri.

"I want to be better than Messi and better than Cristiano Ronaldo," Fakhouri said in 2013 in an interview with Jordanian television, Roya News.

Fakhouri (20), who currently plays for the Egyptian club Pyramids, may still be far from Messi's level. However, he has already become a part of history by helping Jordan qualify for the World Cup for the first time.

Fate has brought Jordan into the same group as the defending champion Argentina in the 2026 World Cup. Fakhouri, who is included in Jordan's provisional squad, has the opportunity to realize his dream from 2013 of surpassing Messi.

"Of course, we hope Messi will be present because the news circulating now does not confirm his attendance or absence. I hope he will be there because he remains an icon of football. Therefore, the match will be very interesting," said Jordan's coach, Jamal Sellami, who holds a Moroccan passport.

The potential meeting with Messi feels like a "victory" that has come early. The draw for the 2026 World Cup, held in Washington DC at the end of 2025, was celebrated by the teams from Austria and Algeria, the two other teams that complete the composition of Group J.

"Facing Lionel Messi in what may be his last World Cup is something special for us. We are very much looking forward to it," said Austrian player Christoph Baumgartner, in Kronen Zeitung.

The tactician of Algeria, Vladimir Petkovic, urged his players to truly savor every moment of their encounter with Messi, which will serve as the opening match of Group J on June 16, 2026, in Kansas City, United States.

"It's a very interesting group. A group of three teams that have to fight for second place," said Petkovic.

Messi himself continues to strive to remain at the highest level. As he approaches his forties, Messi is expected to lead Argentina in following the footsteps of Italy (1934, 1938) and Brazil (1958, 1962) as countries that have successfully won the World Cup in two consecutive editions. Questions regarding Messi's participation are also prevalent in discussions surrounding the Argentine national team ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

There is no doubt about Messi's quality, the owner of eight Ballon d'Or awards. However, the all-time top scorer for Argentina with 115 goals is aware that his physical condition is no longer the same. Since joining Inter Miami in 2023, Messi's playing time has been carefully managed. He does not have to always play the full 90 minutes.

With Rangnick, Austria developed into an effective pressing machine that could hit opponents with transition schemes.

Messi sometimes only appears briefly to satisfy the enthusiasm of the crowd or even watches the match in the stadium stands due to the hamstring injury that has struck him several times.

Messi stated that he does not want to be a burden for the team in the 2026 World Cup. On the other hand, Argentina's Coach Lionel Scaloni once said that he is ready to do whatever it takes to ensure Messi's participation.

It cannot be denied that Messi is the lifeblood of the "Tango" team. However, Scaloni has demonstrated that Argentina remains just as dangerous a team when Messi is not in the starting lineup.

“Yes, it was a night when no one remembered Messi,” wrote Andres Eliceche, a journalist for the Argentine media outlet, La Nacion.

The assessment came shortly after Argentina, playing without Messi, beat Brazil 4-1 in a 2026 World Cup qualifying match in March 2025.

Without Messi, Argentina, which still possesses talents such as Emiliano Martinez, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez, Rodrigo De Paul, Lautaro Martinez, and Julian Alvarez, still knows how to play football and embody the "Scaloneta," a style that has developed during Scaloni's coaching era.

Argentina has not lost its identity as a strong unit in ball possession and managing space.

Therefore, Argentina's competitors in Group J must not be too dazzled by Messi's greatness. The coaches of Austria, Algeria, and Jordan may be able to replicate the motivational words of Herve Renard.

When leading Saudi Arabia to a surprising victory over Argentina in the 2022 World Cup, Renard did not want to see his players on the field merely to take photos with Messi.

Austria, coached by gegenpressing maestro Ralf Rangnick, has the makings of a strong team. Under Rangnick, Austria has developed into an effective pressing machine capable of hitting opponents with transitions.

Austria excels in terms of passes per defensive action (PPDA). PPDA is a metric used to measure a team's pressing intensity by looking at how many passes the opposition makes in midfield or attack before the defense breaks down the play.

On the other hand, Algeria possesses impressive offensive talent, such as Riyad Mahrez, and the young prodigy Ibrahim Maza, who is often nicknamed "Mazadona," referring to the Argentine legend, Diego Armando Maradona.

"Algeria is a very good team with extraordinary players and an impressive pool of talent, supplying players to France and other countries," said Scaloni.

Meanwhile, for Jordan, Sellami's analytical skills serve as an asset to surprise Argentina. The science graduate relies on the 3-4-3 formation that can transform into a 5-4-1 when defending.

The objective is to neutralize opponents in the central area, then strike as soon as the ball is regained, utilizing the penetration of wing backs who transform into offensive units on the outer side. During the qualifiers, Jordan secured comfortable victories over Oman and Palestine, and was able to steal points from World Cup regulars, South Korea.

"Austria has had a great qualification, they are also a tough opponent. Jordan is the least known, but we do not underestimate them. If they have come this far, there must be a reason," said Scaloni.

Jordan can be confident as they look forward to their debut participation in the World Cup. They, along with other teams in Group J, can hold on to the lofty dream of Odeh al-Fakhouri, even though it is clear that it will never be easy to surpass Messi. Borrowing the words of Petkovic, the other three teams in Group J would be very happy to secure a spot in second place.