Evergreen Lionel Messi Describes How Argentina Shocked England

Lionel Messi celebrated a "special" victory after orchestrating a dramatic comeback to lead Argentina past England and into the World Cup final with a 2-1 win.

The 39-year-old veteran was instrumental in the turnaround, providing the crucial pass for Enzo Fernandez's 85th-minute equaliser after Anthony Gordon had given England the lead. Messi then delivered the decisive cross for Lautaro Martinez to head home the winner in Atlanta.

Reflecting on the match, Messi described the semi-final triumph as "quite a special one, especially playing against England with all the historical context."

The game carried added weight due to the historical tensions between the two nations, stemming from the 1982 Falklands War, when Argentina invaded the South Atlantic islands before Britain regained control.

Messi was quick to praise the resilience and fighting spirit of his teammates, a quality they have demonstrated throughout the 2026 tournament. Their comeback against England followed a similar display of grit in the last-16, where they overturned a 2-0 deficit to defeat Egypt 3-2.

"What the group has been doing is incredible, and this, of course, is again something that shows our character, our grit, our collective, the way that we play together," Messi said. "It was really, truly amazing."

Looking ahead to Sunday's final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, the Argentine captain anticipates a tough challenge against Spain, the country where he spent the majority of his illustrious club career with Barcelona.

Messi acknowledged the quality of the Spanish side, who secured their place in the final by beating France 2-0. "They are a fantastic side, wonderful players," he commented.

"They play very, very well. I know them quite well. Their whole idea and philosophy has been very well developed throughout this time, and I know the players as well."