"To ensure Messi's final match never comes," Argentina teammates keep their promise, creating another miracle against England

*This content was translated by AI.

"We are playing so that Messi's final match never comes."

Argentina's teammates kept that promise once again. In order to continue 'the God of Football' Lionel Messi (Inter Miami, Argentina)'s last dance, they achieved another miraculous comeback victory.

On the 16th (Korea time), Argentina secured a 2-1 comeback win against England in the 2026 FIFA North American World Cup semi-final held at Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta, USA, and advanced to the final.

Argentina, which has won the World Cup three times in total, reached the final stage for two consecutive tournaments following their 2022 Qatar tournament victory. Now they are challenging the great record of back-to-back World Cup titles.

In World Cup history, only Italy and Brazil have won two consecutive tournaments. Italy won in 1934 and 1938, and Brazil won in 1958 and 1962. For the past 64 years, no country has achieved back-to-back World Cup titles. Argentina now needs just one more match to achieve that great record.

Argentina's opponent in the final will be Spain. The 'Invincible Armada' Spain advanced to the final for the first time in 16 years by defeating France in another semi-final. Spain reached the pinnacle of the World Cup for the first and only time at the 2010 South Africa World Cup. They are aiming for their second overall title in this tournament. The Argentina-Spain final will be held on the 20th at New Jersey Stadium in New York, USA.

Messi's role was also decisive in the match against England. He delivered two assists in the closing moments of the game to lay the foundation for the comeback victory. After conceding the opening goal to Anthony Gordon in the 10th minute of the second half, Argentina launched a relentless offensive to equalize. Despite numerous shots, they struggled to open up the English goal until the final 10 minutes when they turned the match around. Messi assisted Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea) with the equalizing goal in the 40th minute of the second half. In the second minute of stoppage time, he also provided an assist for Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan)'s go-ahead winning goal.

Football statistics outlet FootMob awarded Messi the highest rating of 9.0 among both teams. This means he delivered the most outstanding performance in the match without scoring a single goal.

However, this was not a victory created by Messi alone. It was a comeback drama made possible by the dedication of Argentina's teammates. Fernandez not only scored the equalizer but also ran across the entire field, serving as the engine in midfield. Defensive midfielder Leandro Paredes (Boca Juniors) also recorded four tackles while quietly blocking England's attacks. Martinez, despite being a world-class attacker, shone with his sacrifice by mostly coming off the bench for the national team. Even within limited playing time, he proved his worth by scoring the most crucial winning goal at the most important moment.

Most importantly, Argentina players never gave up even in the face of defeat. Not only Messi but the entire team maintained their focus until the final moments, completing another dramatic comeback story.

This is not the first time Argentina has achieved a theatrical victory in this tournament. In the Round of 32, they seemed to become victims of an upset when blocked by Cape Verde's surprise attack, but they secured a 3-2 comeback win after an extended battle.

The Round of 16 was even more dramatic. Against Egypt led by 'world-class' Mohamed Salah, Argentina trailed 0-2 until the 34th minute of the second half. With little time remaining and defeat seeming likely, a miracle occurred. Starting with Cristian Romero (Tottenham)'s chase goal, Messi scored the equalizer. In stoppage time, Fernandez scored the go-ahead goal to complete a stunning 3-2 comeback victory.

Argentina players cited Messi as the reason they never gave up on the match until the end. Messi defeated France in the 2022 Qatar World Cup final to achieve his lifelong dream of winning his first World Cup title. For 39-year-old Messi, this North American World Cup is very likely to be his last stage on the world scene. Argentina's teammates have united with the goal of presenting Messi with another World Cup title.

According to Argentine media La Nacion, Paredes emphasized after the Round of 16 match against Egypt: "We want Messi to feel that we are by his side until the very last moment," and "We are also playing so that his final match never comes."

In fact, even in the quarter-finals, Argentina engaged in a grueling extra-time battle against Switzerland but maintained their focus until the end and won 3-1 to advance to the semi-finals.

Reuters also highlighted Argentina's continued theatrical victories, stating: "Under coach Lionel Scaloni, Argentina has become more than just a team built around Messi."

It further explained: "While being inspired by their idol Messi, the players have the will to become key pillars in achieving a single goal."

Even in the match against England, Messi and his teammates achieved an unbelievable comeback victory. Reuters noted: "While other modern football superstars like Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr, Portugal) and Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid, France) rely more on their individual abilities to lift their teams in difficult matches, Messi is closer to a player who blends his amazing skills into the movement of the entire team."

It also explained: "When Martinez scored the winning header in stoppage time, Argentina players immediately ran toward the corner and surrounded Messi in celebration. This was because the player who delivered the cross that created the scoring opportunity for Martinez was none other than Messi."

It added: "If Messi decides to conclude his national team career at the end of this tournament, he will have the opportunity to close out his career at the highest point of the football stage he has long illuminated."

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*This content was translated by AI.