That's why he's a king: Messi leads Argentina to World Cup final
Lionel Messi showed off his talent by providing two assists to lead Argentina to victory over England, securing the team's passage to the World Cup final.
Here's why he's king: Messi leads Argentina to World Cup final
According to Sports.
Background
Lionel Messi, at the age of 39, continues to amaze the football world with his outstanding performances at FIFA World Cup 2026. With four assists and eight goals, he is the tournament's joint top scorer and second in assists, highlighting his importance to Argentina in the tournament.
Why this matters
Argentina's passage to the 2026 FIFA World Cup final was made possible thanks to the outstanding performances of Lionel Messi, who, despite his age, continues to demonstrate the highest level of play. His two assists against England not only secured the victory, but also cemented his status as one of the greatest players in football history. Messi has become a key player for Argentina, which underlines his importance in the context of the upcoming final.
Key Takeaways
- Here's why he's king: Messi leads Argentina to World Cup final
- Lionel Messi showed off his talent by providing two assists to lead Argentina to victory over England, securing their place in the World Cup final.
- Lionel Messi remains central to Argentina's plans.
Four years ago, it seemed that Lionel Messi's story was over. He finally won the World Cup at the age of 35, in what he called his last game in the tournament, and, depending on one's point of view, cemented his status as the greatest player in football history. Four years ago, at the age of 31, many - including those around him - believed that he had played his last game at the World Cup and would retire without the title. And here he is again on stage, at 39, helping Argentina to victory over England and reach their second successive World Cup final. Messi provided two assists to help the South American side come back into the match with a 2-1 win, taking him to four assists at the 2026 World Cup, adding eight goals. He is the joint top scorer and second in assists in the tournament.
Argentina will face Spain in the final, the country where Messi spent most of his Barcelona career. "He is the best player in history, I don't know what else he needs to do to prove it. Most Spaniards love him," Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said. BBC commentator Micah Richards said: "They've got Lionel Messi. They've got 'GOAT' - the greatest of all time. These are the moments. We thought it might be Jude Bellingham or Harry Kane, but that's why he's the king."
How Messi crushed England's hopes.Former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain striker Messi has never played against England before, and Thomas Tuchel and all Three Lions fans would now wish it were so. The veteran showed some quality touches in a difficult first half, playing more centrally, but after Anthony Gordon opened the scoring in the 55th minute, Argentina bounced back. Once Tuchel released more defenders and England began to pull back, Argentina took 88% of possession over the next 37 minutes. And Messi, moving to the right flank, began to shine. "Getting Messi out on the wing was key for us," goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez said after the match. He completed nine dribbles and assisted two goals against England - the first player since 1966 to do so in a single World Cup knockout match. The entire England team completed seven successful dribbles in total in Atlanta. Messi had seven touches in the opponent's penalty area - as many as all English players combined. The same goes for the four chances created. He also completed the most crosses with nine.
And, most importantly, he assisted on both of Argentina's goals. The first was from a corner when he found Enzo Fernandez, who scored a stunning goal in the 85th minute.He then fed Lautaro Martinez, who headed in the winner in stoppage time. Former England defender Richards noted: "He strides around the pitch and then comes alive when the ball is at his feet. That genius comes into play and sometimes it just makes the difference." Former England goalkeeper Joe Hart added: "The boys went back to what they did against Mexico and Norway where they closed the door. What it did was free up Lionel Messi, who had a skeleton key - he was absolutely in control of the game in the last 15 minutes." England captain Kane said: "We dealt with him quite well for a large part of the game, but as always with the most dangerous players in the world, when they have the ball they can create something. He is one of the best players of all time and for good reason."
Can Messi win the Golden Boot? Lionel Messi is Argentina's leading scorer with 125 goals. This summer he became the top scorer in World Cup history with 21 goals (out of his 125 goals for Argentina). Fifteen of those 21 goals came after his 35th birthday. He scored eight goals in this tournament, surpassing the seven he scored in 2022, which was just one less than Kylian Mbappe in the Golden Boot race. This time, Messi and Mbappe are tied on eight goals, with France facing England in the third-place match. England's Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane are on six goals each and are also out.If the players finish tied on the same number of goals, assists will be the deciding factor - Messi has four and Mbappe has three. Messi could also be the tournament's top assister, one goal behind France's Michael Olise.
It's easy to forget that Messi, then at Barcelona and aged 29, actually retired from the national team in 2016. He was defeated in the 2014 World Cup final by Germany and in three Copa America finals. Since he changed his mind, he has won the America's Cup twice. When Messi - then at PSG - lifted the World Cup in Qatar in 2022, it seemed the final piece of the puzzle of his career had been completed. This was widely seen as the final argument in the debate over the greatest player of all time, with World Cup winners Pelé and Diego Maradona considered by many to be the greatest. "I'm very happy to have completed my World Cup journey with a final by playing my last game in the final. It really feels good," he said ahead of the 2022 final. "It's a long time from this year to next year. I don't think I can do it. To finish this way is great." And when he left Europe the following year to join Inter Miami in MLS, it looked like he was going to retire. Even during the last FIFA World Cup, in which he participated, it was far from clear whether he would take part this summer. But here he is again, still seemingly unstoppable - even if his game has changed.Before the match against England, he had completed 47% of the distance he had covered in that tournament, the highest percentage of any fielder. Tactically, he reinvented himself at least five times, says Spanish journalist Guillem Balague, who wrote a biography of Messi. Messi has now scored or assisted in 13 consecutive matches for Inter Miami and Argentina. If he gets involved in the final against Spain, it will equal his record of 14 in a row, set in 2011. He will also become only the second player after Cafu to play in three World Cup finals. Won't this be his last World Cup match? After all, he will turn 43 in 2030. But perhaps we should stop assuming anything about the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner at this point.
What happens next
Argentina will face Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, which will be especially symbolic for Messi given his long career at Barcelona. He is expected to continue to deliver his best performance as he strives for another world-class victory. Given his current form, he can be expected to be a deciding factor in this important match.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the Argentina vs England match?
Argentina defeated England with a score of 2:1 and reached their second consecutive World Cup final.
Who confirmed Messi's status as the greatest player?
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni and BBC commentator Micah Richards have confirmed Messi's status as the greatest player in football history.
Why is Messi back on stage at 39 years old?
Messi is back on stage as he helped Argentina reach the World Cup final despite many previously thinking his career was over.
What changes occurred in Argentina's game after the first half?
After Anthony Gordon opened the scoring in the 55th minute, Argentina recovered to win.
Who will Argentina face in the World Cup final?
Argentina will meet Spain in the World Cup final.
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