‘Give it my all’ - Messi, Argentina ride belief into WC final

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Argentina’s comeback against England demonstrated the belief surrounding Lionel Messi. Now Spain stand between the holders and a historic second straight World Cup title.

ATLANTA -- Most of those in attendance didn’t catch the moment that would become the defining image of Argentina’s win over England.

Down a goal and locked in a verbal duel with Jude Bellingham, Lionel Messi pulled a face that, in the hours after the game, became part meme and part instant addition to World Cup lore.His message was clear: “Game on.” From there, there was no looking back.

Some will call it the turning point. The truth is that it wasn’t, at least not on its own. Argentina didn’t need Bellingham to provide motivation or help them find their belief. They have had it, and they have shown it all summer.

It’s why downtown Atlanta was flooded with blue and white, with Argentina supporters outnumbering their English counterparts two to one. It’s why the singing was loud enough to drown out “God Save the King.” It’s why the songs feel a little less like dreams this time and more like predictions.

It’s also why Argentina have overcome the various setbacks that have defined their World Cup. Faced with the latest one, Messi made a face, got on with it and changed the game.

That same conviction now moves on to Sunday. Spain will present a very different challenge than England did, but Argentina will enter the World Cup final believing that, with Messi and the army around him, no game is ever beyond them.

England v Argentina: Semi Final - FIFA World Cup 2026

‘Special joy’

That’s what happens when you have an elite talent like Messi. As Argentina learned several times earlier in his career, though, Messi alone isn’t enough.

Wednesday’s clash with England showed that Messi is no longer alone. He has an army of support behind him, both on and off the field. It isn’t quality alone that has led Argentina to another World Cup final. It’s belief, and that belief is real enough to feel.

In the hours leading up to kickoff, it wasn’t hard to find the Argentinians. Before you saw them, you heard them. More than anything, you felt them coming.

Turn a corner, and you’d find a group, half-shirtless and half in Messi jerseys, singing about their impending triumph over “Inglaterra.” The national anthems were a spectacle. Argentina’s was sung with fervor. England’s, meanwhile, was drowned out by Argentinian chanting.

“We experienced something special - we could feel it right from the national anthem,” Messi said. “The fans wanted this victory more than any other because of what it means to face England in a semifinal and reach another World Cup final.

“I know how happy people in Argentina are. My mom and my family sent me pictures of people celebrating. I’m very proud and happy to be able to give the Argentine people this special joy.”

Spain will not carry the same historical weight as England, but Sunday will provide an even greater footballing test. Argentina’s supporters can supply the emotion. Against a Spanish side built to control games, the players will have to turn it into patience and precision.

England v Argentina: Semi Final - FIFA World Cup 2026

‘Nobody wanted to lose’

This game, for anyone who knows the history, was personal. It’s why the words “Falklands” and “Malvinas” were woven into the buildup. Given the occasion, the semifinal didn’t need political overtones to feel enormous, but they provided an added layer.

“No Argentine wanted to lose this match,” Messi said. “It was incredible how this whole World Cup unfolded, given what this semifinal against England meant. Nobody wanted to lose today.”

That emotion was evident in the banner the Argentina players celebrated with after the final whistle: “Las Malvinas son Argentinas.”

That banner raised some controversy, but it was far from the only one on display. Images of Diego Maradona hung above the crowd. So, too, did those of Messi, whose place alongside Maradona in Argentine football is beyond question.

And it was Messi, once again, who became the physical manifestation of Argentina’s belief. Once again, he was the one who made the difference.

The final will require something different. Spain will not carry England’s historical baggage, and Argentina cannot assume they will retreat to protect a lead as England did. If the semifinal was fueled by fury, the final may be decided by control.

That makes the opening period particularly important. Argentina recovered from falling behind Wednesday, but conceding first to a Spain team capable of dictating the ball and the tempo would present an entirely different problem.

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When Argentina’s players talk about doing it for Messi, it can be easy to dismiss the sentiment as pandering. The reality is that it’s very, very real. Messi is something more than a teammate to those around him. The same is true for the supporters.

It’s why, even when Argentina went behind, their fans stayed loud. There was no panic, just as there wasn’t against Cape Verde, Egypt or Switzerland. Why bother panicking when you have Messi?

The question remains worth asking even after Wednesday. It was England who panicked, retreating into a shell to protect their lead. They sat back for too long against a team too dangerous. It was little surprise when they eventually buckled.

Enzo Fernández supplied the equalizer, but Messi lit the fuse. The Inter Miami star drove Argentina forward, setting up Fernández before delivering the cross that Lautaro Martínez headed in for the winner.

More than anything, it was the belief in Messi that spurred Argentina on. When he’s out there, anything feels possible. It felt that way Wednesday night.

“I’ve been preparing and training for a year now, and I knew I was going to give it my all to be in the best possible shape,” Messi said. “Right now, I just want to enjoy myself. I’m not talking about my last World Cup or anything like that. This team always gives its all and owes nothing to anyone.

“This team never stops trying. We went out to win it with our football and determination, and we’re in another World Cup final.”

For Spain, the task is obvious without being easy: deny Messi the time and space England eventually conceded to him. For Argentina, Sunday cannot simply be another exercise in waiting for their captain to produce something impossible. The supporting cast will have to give Spain too many problems to focus solely on Messi.

England v Argentina: Semi Final - FIFA World Cup 2026

One more step

There’s no overstating what Sunday’s final means. For Argentina, it’s a chance to become the first nation since Brazil in 1962 to retain the World Cup. For Spain, it’s an opportunity to build a new legacy around a team and identity that appear made for this moment.

For Messi, it’s another chance at history - another layer of immortality for a player already considered immortal. In 2022, he joined Maradona by delivering a World Cup to Argentina. On Sunday, he can do something even Maradona never did and lift it for a second time.

“Diego was truly great,” Messi said. “I never wanted to compare myself to him. As far as I’m concerned, he’s the greatest of them all.

“We shared some wonderful moments. In 2010, at the World Cup, he had a brilliant spell. We talked about the opposition and the matches in that tournament.

“Today, wherever he is, he’ll be happy, enjoying all of this, given how much the national team meant to him and the legacy he left behind. It’s a gift for him.”

Messi has provided Argentina with plenty of gifts, which is why the supporters sing his name with such passion. Their song of the summer centers on his ability to inspire that devotion, and it rang out long into the night in Atlanta.

“Por Malvinas, por El Diego, por la última de Leo, Argentina quiero verte bicampeón.”

Which translates to

“For Malvinas, for Diego, for Leo’s last, Argentina, I want to see you become back-to-back champions.”

The supporters may be calling this Messi’s last World Cup even if he refuses to do so himself. That only adds to the urgency surrounding Sunday.

Against Spain, there may be long stretches when Argentina’s songs are tested, and their belief is strained. They may have to suffer, wait, and trust that their moment will eventually arrive.

Wednesday proved that belief can turn a game. Sunday will determine whether it can make history.