Lionel Messi played an instrumental role in Argentina’s 2-1 comeback victory over England in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final at Atlanta on Wednesday.
The superstar didn’t score a goal, but his brilliant assists decided the fate of La Albiceleste. Messi provided a pass to Enzo Fernandez, who scored the equaliser. After that, the 39-year-old football icon delivered a sensational cross to Lautaro Martinez for Argentina’s winning goal in stoppage time. While the England players kept Messi heavily marked, with players surrounding him, the veteran still showed his brilliance on the ground multiple times.
In one of the standout moments from the game, Messi beat five players in England’s half with his dribbling skills. Such great was the run from Messi that Elliot Anderson had to commit a deliberate foul to stop him.
Watch it here:
With one more win, he’ll be delivering another World Cup trophy to Argentina. Messi didn’t add to his tournament-leading goal total, but the 39-year-old assisted on two late strikes that carried La Albiceleste to another stunning comeback.
Eight days after an improbable rally against Egypt in the round of 16, Messi returned to Atlanta to produce another stellar moment in a career that might already be the best of anyone to play the sport.
England were surely envisioning their first World Cup title since their only triumph six decades ago after a 55th-minute goal from Anthony Gordon.
But Messi and his blue-clad teammates, as they have shown over and over again, are never done. Now it’s on to face Spain in the final on Sunday, with a chance of becoming the first repeat champion since Brazil in 1958 and 1962.
In the 85th minute, with England hanging on for dear life, Messi played a short corner, immediately received the return pass and spotted Enzo Fernandez lurking in the middle of the field, 25 yards from goal. Fernandez ripped a curling shot past goalkeeper Jordan Pickford to level the score.
At that point, it seemed inevitable that Argentina would pull out the victory.
And that’s just what happened, with Messi again the orchestrator. Two minutes into stoppage time, he suddenly turned on the speed as he raced towards the byline, gaining enough space to send a pinpoint cross into the area at the back post. The ball cleared six English players, setting up Lautaro Fernandez to effortlessly head home the winning goal after slipping between two defenders.
From there, it was just a matter of protecting the lead, which Argentina did comfortably.
When the final whistle blew, Messi dropped to his knees in the middle of the field, pumping his fists.