Messi provides two late assists as Argentina overturn England to book a blockbuster World Cup final against Spain.
Lionel Messi once again proved why he is regarded as one of football’s greatest players, delivering two decisive assists in the closing moments as Argentina staged a dramatic comeback to defeat England and secure a place in the World Cup final.
Argentina appeared destined for elimination after trailing England for most of Wednesday’s semifinal. However, the reigning world champions mounted a remarkable late rally, inspired by the brilliance of Lionel Messi, to seal a thrilling victory and keep their hopes of defending the World Cup alive.
With just five minutes of normal time remaining, Messi created Argentina’s equalizer by delivering a perfectly weighted pass to Enzo Fernandez, who calmly found the back of the net in the 85th minute to level the score.
As the match entered stoppage time, Messi produced another moment of brilliance. The Argentine captain sent a precise cross into the penalty area, where Lautaro Martinez rose above England’s defense to head the ball past goalkeeper Jordan Pickford in the 93rd minute.
The dramatic winner completed an unforgettable comeback and sent Argentina into Sunday’s World Cup final, where they will face Spain in one of the tournament’s most anticipated clashes.
Messi, widely regarded as Argentina’s talisman and leader, once again demonstrated his ability to influence the biggest matches. His vision, creativity, and composure under pressure proved decisive as Argentina overturned a difficult situation in the closing stages.
The victory keeps Argentina on course to win back-to-back FIFA World Cup titles, a feat achieved by only a select few nations in football history.
England, meanwhile, suffered heartbreak after controlling much of the contest but failing to withstand Argentina’s late surge. Despite a strong defensive display for most of the match, the Three Lions were undone by Messi’s exceptional playmaking in the final minutes.
Attention now turns to Sunday’s final, where Argentina will meet Spain in a highly anticipated showdown for football’s biggest prize.
