Lionel Messi is pushing 40 and still dictating football’s biggest stage.
The Argentina captain produced another masterclass in the World Cup semi-final against England, registering two assists to send the Albiceleste through to the 2026 World Cup final. It marks Argentina’s second consecutive appearance in the showpiece, after winning the tournament in Qatar in 2022.
Messi was once again decisive. He is now directly involved in 12 goals at the 2026 tournament, bettering the 10 he contributed on the way to glory four years ago. The performance earned him MVP honours for the semi-final and reignited debate over his legacy.
"Messi is the best player in history, we tried to stop him as much as possible, but every time the ball reached him, he came back to life," England captain Harry Kane said after the match.
The result also puts Argentina in rare company. The South Americans become only the third nation in history to reach back-to-back World Cup finals twice, having previously done so between 1986 and 1990. They join an elite list that includes Brazil with three straight finals from 1994 to 2002, and Germany with three from 1982 to 1990.
The list of teams with consecutive final appearances now reads:
- Brazil — 3 consecutive finals, 1994–2002
- Germany — 3 consecutive finals, 1982–1990
- Argentina — 2 consecutive finals, 2022–2026
- Italy — 2 consecutive finals, 1934–1938
- Brazil — 2 consecutive finals, 1958–1962
- Netherlands — 2 consecutive finals, 1974–1978
- Argentina — 2 consecutive finals, 1986–1990
- France — 2 consecutive finals, 2018–2022
Off the pitch, the bookmakers have taken notice. Messi is now the favourite for the 2026 Ballon d’Or. His resume already includes 8 Ballon d’Or awards, 3 World Cup finals, 1 World Cup trophy and 4 Champions League titles.
Not everyone was happy with how England approached the game. Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola criticised England boss Thomas Tuchel’s tactics.
"I will blame Thomas Tuchel for the lost, the boys did their best," Guardiola said.
"He was very poor today. He should have known better that Argentina have made a comeback several times in this tournament when their opponent go all back to defend. Why defend a one goal lead when you have better players than your opponent?"
Argentina will now prepare for a second straight World Cup final, with Messi leading the charge at an age when most players have long retired. Pushing 40 and still the best on the planet.
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