Jordan have already been knocked out of the tournament, while Argentina are safely through to the knockout stage.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni had hinted that Messi, who turned 39 three days earlier, could make an appearance from the bench during the match at AT&T Stadium.

Fresh faces get their chance

Nicolás Paz was included in the starting lineup after making his World Cup debut as a substitute for Messi late in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria in the opening game.

Overall, Scaloni made nine changes from the side that defeated Austria 2-0 in the previous match.

Messi continues to rewrite World Cup history

Messi has now played 201 international matches for Argentina, including a FIFA-record 28 World Cup appearances.

He has scored in six consecutive World Cup matches, becoming only the third player to achieve the feat after France’s Just Fontaine and Brazil legend Jairzinho.

Heading into the final round of group-stage matches, Messi led the tournament scoring chart with five goals, all of Argentina’s goals so far.

He struck his first-ever World Cup hat-trick against Algeria before adding his fifth goal in injury time against Austria.

Record-breaking goal tally

Messi’s two goals against Austria took his overall World Cup tally to 18, breaking the previous record of 16 that he shared with Germany great Miroslav Klose.

This is Messi’s sixth World Cup appearance. Klose played 214 international matches across four World Cups between 2002 and 2014, with his final World Cup goal coming in Germany’s 1-0 win over Argentina in the 2014 final.

France star Kylian Mbappé equalled Klose’s tally of 16 World Cup goals by scoring twice in a 3-0 victory over Iraq just hours after Messi broke the record.

Mbappé, who is among several players with four goals in this tournament, did not score in France’s 4-1 win over Norway in their final group-stage game.

Argentina set for Cape Verde challenge

As Group J winners, Argentina will now face Cape Verde in the round of 32 on Friday in Miami.

It will be Cape Verde’s first appearance in a FIFA World Cup knockout match, while the game will also be played in the home city of Messi’s MLS club.

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham has never been afraid to speak her mind, so it was only a matter of time before she commented on the latest controversy involving Caitlin Clark. Unsurprisingly, Cunningham has come to her teammate’s defense, saying that “the league and the refs do nothing to protect” Clark. 

Clark left the Fever’s loss to the Mercury on Wednesday with a back injury after being on the receiving end of what Indiana coach Stephanie White called “two cheap shots.” Clark will not play Saturday against the Los Angeles Sparks on CBS and Paramount+, and has been ruled out indefinitely. 

While a landing space foul on a 3-pointer appeared to be what jarred Clark’s back, the incident that has everyone talking happened a few possessions earlier. During a loose-ball scramble, Alyssa Thomas kneed Clark in the thigh and put her fist into Clark’s neck. No foul was called during the game, but the league later reviewed the situation and upgraded the play to a Flagrant 2 and suspended Thomas for one game — served Saturday against the Toronto Tempo — for “recklessly making contact with her fist to the throat area” of Clark. 

Mercury’s Alyssa Thomas suspended one game for putting fist into Caitlin Clark’s throat in win over Fever

Jack Maloney

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Cunningham calls out the league and officials

On the latest episode of her podcast, “Show Me Something,” which was released Saturday, Cunningham gave her view on the situation. She explained why no one on the Fever reacted in the moment, then made strong accusations against both the league and the officials.   

“During real time last night, I did not see that happen,” Cunningham said. “None of our team saw it happen, because I promise you, if we would have seen that happen, we would have had [Clark’s] back. Unfortunately, this type of shit happens every single game to [Clark], and the league and the refs do absolutely nothing about it.”

“You see the videos of literally kneeing and cheap-shotting [Clark] in the throat,” Cunningham continued. “If [Thomas] did that to any of our teammates, we’d be pissed. But they are definitely targeting [Clark], and the league and the refs do nothing to protect her.”

Cunningham has previously been fined for comments she’s made on her podcast — as well as a TikTok she made — and it would not be a surprise if the league dings her again here.

Do opponents actually ‘target’ Clark?

Do opponents set out to purposefully injure Clark? No. Do opponents try to use physicality to their advantage against Clark? Yes. As Golden State Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase notably said last season, “We know [Clark] doesn’t like physicality.” And sometimes, that approach goes too far. 

Despite missing the majority of her sophomore season, Clark has been on the receiving end of nine flagrant fouls since she entered the league in 2024, per Across the Timeline. That is the most toward any player in that time frame. Note: This includes both Flagrant 1 and Flagrant 2 fouls, preseason excluded. 

Most flagrant fouls received since 2024

Clark has received nine flagrant fouls in 72 career games, including the regular season and playoffs, or one every eight games. Here are some of the most notable incidents Clark has been involved in:

• Just 10 games into her career, Clark was hip-checked by Chennedy Carter, a play that was retroactively upgraded to a Flagrant 1
• Later in her rookie season, Clark was run over in transition by Diamond DeShields, who was called for a Flagrant 1
• Last season, Clark was shoved to the ground by Marina Mabrey, a play that was retroactively upgraded to a Flagrant 2
• Then, on Wednesday, there was the incident with Thomas, which, again, was retroactively upgraded to a Flagrant 2

None of that includes the regular landing space fouls on Clark that arguably carry a higher risk of injury. In May, Clark left a preseason game against the Dallas Wings after being fouled by Alanna Smith on a play that was upgraded to a Flagrant 1. Too often for the Fever’s liking, however, such fouls are not upgraded. That was the case against the Washington Mystics earlier this season, when Clark was cleaned out in mid-air by Cassandre Prosper. And it was the case again on Wednesday against the Mercury, when she landed on Valeriane Ayayi’s foot and came up grabbing at her back. 

There are seven incidents highlighted above: four non-basketball plays and three landing space fouls from this season alone. Only two of them were called flagrant fouls in the moment, while three were retroactively upgraded, including two to Flagrant 2s and one suspension. 

Twice in the last 25 games Clark has played in, the league has acknowledged after the fact that she was on the receiving end of contact that should have resulted in an ejection. Since Clark entered the league, there have only been four other Flagrant 2 fouls — one on Thomas in 2024, one on Cunningham, one on Janelle Salaun and one on Isabelle Harrison — and all four were assessed in the moment, leading to immediate ejections. 

Since Clark’s debut, she has taken more flagrant fouls than any other player, and the worst of the non-basketball contact she’s received has not been properly handled in the moment. 

That says more about the competency (or lack thereof) of the officials than a plot by opponents to hurt Clark or a conspiracy by the league, but it makes it easy to understand why Cunningham said the officials do “nothing to protect” Clark. And what White meant when she said after Wednesday’s game that Clark is “not called the same way everybody else is called.” 

Survive the Apocalypse is a survival experience in which you explore different locations of a vast map and collect items that’ll help you endure a zombie apocalypse. On June 27, 2026, this Roblox title released its New 5 Star Class update, which introduced a new limited-time class along with several bug fixes.

Outlaw is a new 5-star class that you can purchase by spending 1,000 Emeralds at the Classes shop. In this guide, we will discuss its stats and the fastest method of unlocking.

What is the Outlaw class in Survive the Apocalypse?

Outlaw is a new 5-star tier class in Survive the Apocalypse that was introduced via the New 5 Star Class update on June 27, 2026. In the Classes shop, he appears as a rugged Wild West character wearing a brown cowboy hat, bandana face covering, leather jacket with ammo belts, utility pouches, dark pants, and black boots.

To unlock the Outlaw class, you must visit the Classes shop, located in the game’s lobby, and spend 1,000 Emeralds. Once unlocked, you can equip this class to start each of your runs with a Heavy Revolver. Here are some stats possessed by this class:

• Star: 5-star
• Cost: 1,000 Emeralds
• Starter tools: 1x Heavy Revolver and 60x Pistol Ammo
• Level 1 skills: Headshot kills with non-auto guns grant 10% Reload Speed, +0.5 Walk Speed, and 5% Dodge Chance for Ss, stacking up to 10x
• Level 2 skills: You can unlock this level by eliminating 1,000 zombies with a headshot. Bullets from non-auto guns bounce between enemies on penetration (Max three).
• Level 3 skills: You can unlock this level by eliminating 5x Exterminators and 4,000 zombies with headshot. Quickdraw: Rapidly fire your revolver, automatically headshotting a zombie on your screen six times (15 CD).

How to get the Outlaw class in Survive the Apocalypse

Step 1: Earn Emeralds

For purchasing the Outlaw class, you’ll need to spend 1,000 Emeralds at the Classes shop. To earn them faster, you can follow these methods:

• Complete Daily Quests: Every day, you’ll get the chance to complete three quests. Each of them can reward you with either 10x or 15x Emeralds.
• Participate in different activities: You’ll get 1x Emerald for fixing a power plant, up to 8x Emeralds by repairing a Nuclear Reactor, 6x Emeralds for participating in a Military Base, and 3x Emeralds for completing a Raider Base.
• Redeem codes: You can also redeem Survive the Apocalypse codes.

Step 2: Purchase the class

After collecting at least 1,000 Emeralds, head towards the Classes shop, available at the lobby. Interact with the NPC and search for the Outlaw class. Next, purchase the class by spending Emeralds.

Once unlocked, you can equip this class and use it during runs to unlock better perks and abilities

FAQs on Outlaw class in Survive the Apocalypse

How do you unlock the Outlaw class in Survive the Apocalypse?

You can unlock the Outlaw class by visiting the Classes shop in the lobby and purchasing it for 1,000 Emeralds.

What weapons does the Outlaw class start with?

The Outlaw class begins every run with 1x Heavy Revolver and 60x Pistol Ammo, giving you a strong early-game advantage against zombies.

What does the Outlaw class’s Level 1 skill do?

At Level 1, headshot kills with non-automatic guns grant 10% Reload Speed, +0.5 Walk Speed, and 5% Dodge Chance for 5 seconds, with the buffs stacking up to 10 times.

How do you unlock the Outlaw class’s higher-level skills?

Level 2 requires 1,000 headshot zombie eliminations, while Level 3 requires 5 Exterminator kills and 4,000 headshot zombie eliminations using the class.