Argentina captain Lionel Messi has hailed his team’s incredible consistency, declaring that they are officially one of the two best teams in the world after booking their spot in the 2026 World Cup final.
The defending champions pulled off a dramatic late comeback to defeat England 2-1 in Wednesday’s semi-final. Trailing to a 55th-minute Anthony Gordon strike, the 39-year-old Messi turned the game on its head in the closing minutes, assisting Enzo Fernández’s 85th-minute equalizer before serving up a stoppage-time cross for Lautaro Martínez’s winning header. The victory sets up a highly anticipated clash against Spain this Sunday, where Argentina will look to defend their crown.
“Now today, we are one of the best two best teams in the world, and at another final,” Messi said.
“It’s crazy what this group has achieved”
Reflecting on La Albiceleste’s golden era, Messi expressed immense pride in the squad’s relentless drive. The final on Sunday represents a historic fifth major tournament final for this generation of players following the 2021 Copa América, the 2022 World Cup, the 2024 Copa América, and the 2022 Finalissima.
Messi emphasized that their continued success is no fluke, noting that his stellar tournament performance is the result of nearly a year of intense personal preparation. Having spent the off-season training twice a day in Argentina to ensure he arrived in the best possible shape, the legendary playmaker is now just one game away from leading his country to back-to-back world titles.
