When the final whistle of the semi-final 2 match sounded, the party of Argentina fans and players began. They played bravely, without any fear when being led, and then continued to come back, thereby getting the last ticket to play in the 2026 World Cup final.
In the stands, thousands of Albiceleste fans shouted: "Messi, Messi,... ". That sound overshadowed all the background music being played at the Mercedes-Benz stadium in Atlanta. For Argentine fans, Messi is a god, the head of the football religion they have worshiped for a century.
Like the extremely difficult quarter-final against Switzerland, this time Messi continued not to score. However, that never prevented him from helping his teammates shine. After assisting in the match against Switzerland, M10 continued to do that 2 times for Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez to defeat England.
When Angel Di Maria is no longer there, the responsibility for creating a breakthrough rests entirely on Lionel Messi's shoulders. However, El Pulga has never refused even though he is 39 years old. From the group stage to the semi-finals, if not for super finishes, brand-name dribbles, Messi will put the ball in the right position for his teammates just needing to perform basic movements to score a goal.
Messi is not only excellent, he also knows how to make those playing next to him become excellent, which is a level that no one can compare to the Argentine legend.
Like 4 years ago, every time Argentina fell into a difficult situation, they looked at their captain. In many matches this year, Albiceleste players tried every way to pass the ball to Messi even though they had only kept it in their feet for a few seconds. Messi has never felt bothered or overwhelmed by that intensity. On the contrary, he also turned those pressures into goals and assists throughout Argentina's journey this year.
When each match in the national team jersey can now be the last, Messi feels the strong support from his teammates around him so that he can do his job best on the field. This is something that is not seen in any other team, when the whole team accepts to sacrifice their individual ego to serve a single star. That star not only shines, he also knows how to pull his teammates up to enjoy the glory together.
4 years ago, France and Argentina created a final considered the best in World Cup history. This time, Argentina will clash with Spain, an environment that has nurtured Messi's player talent since he was a boy.
I hope many Spaniards will feel happy when Argentina reaches the final because of what Messi has brought them in recent years.
Although not everyone, I know there are many Spaniards who love Messi. He doesn't need to do anything more to become great" - Coach Lionel Scaloni said after the match.
When he first set foot in the United States to play for Inter Miami, Messi clearly expressed his desire to bring in the 4th star on his chest for the Argentine national team. He also shared that he spent a whole year preparing for the 2026 World Cup. Right from the time he arrived in the land of stars and stripes, M10 set a goal to conquer and he is only one victory away from that.
If he lifts the world championship title once again, Messi is no longer simply GOAT (the greatest of all time), he must be GOD because of all the unparalleled glory.
