“It’s crazy”: Messi reaches the third final of his career

Lionel Messi has already achieved football's ultimate honour by winning the World Cup, but the Argentina captain added another remarkable chapter to his extraordinary career on Wednesday, inspiring his team to a semi-final victory over England.

The defending champions appeared to be heading for defeat after Anthony Gordon put England ahead, with Argentina trailing until the 85th minute in Atlanta. But Messi once again produced his magic. Although he did not score, the tournament's all-time leading marksman set up Enzo Fernandez for the equaliser before delivering the cross that allowed Lautaro Martinez to head home the winner in a 2-1 victory.

“These are special feelings. I think the squad could feel it, and this was a game the Argentine people really wanted to win, and so did we,” the 39-year-old Messi said after facing England for the first time in his career.

“This is still a special fixture.”

Messi did not quite replicate Diego Maradona's iconic performance in Argentina's 1986 World Cup quarter-final victory over England, when the legendary forward scored two memorable goals.

However, his two assists were enough to make a decisive impact, while he has already matched Maradona's greatest achievement by lifting the World Cup in Qatar four years ago.

Argentina's victory also extended their remarkable record of never losing a World Cup semi-final. Messi will now feature in his second consecutive World Cup final and third overall.

The South Americans are seeking to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to successfully defend the World Cup title. Messi, the only remaining member of the Argentina team that lost to Germany in the 2014 final, will also become only the second player after Brazil legend Cafu to appear in three World Cup finals.

“It is crazy to be playing in back-to-back finals,” Messi said.

Argentina had already staged a dramatic late comeback to defeat Egypt 3-2 at the same Atlanta stadium in the last 16. Against England, they sensed an opportunity as their opponents increasingly retreated after taking the lead.

“Once again we managed to do the job when things were looking bad. We never stopped believing,” said Messi, who has now made a record 33 World Cup appearances across six tournaments.

His influence was limited for long periods on Wednesday, but that has often been the case with Messi. Even when he is not at his best, he remains capable of producing decisive moments and carrying his team to victory.

“I felt like for large parts of the game, we dealt with him really well. But as always with the most dangerous players in the world, when they have the ball in the final third, they can create something,” England captain Harry Kane said.

“He's done that again today. He's obviously one of the best players ever for a reason.”

A Spanish reunion

Messi is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in football history, and another World Cup triumph could make his claim even stronger. Pele and Maradona each appeared in two World Cup finals, while Maradona won the trophy only once.

Messi is also the leading scorer in World Cup history with 21 goals, although Kylian Mbappe is just one goal behind and will have the chance to close the gap in Saturday's third-place play-off against England.

Messi could have retired from international football after Argentina defeated France in the 2022 final. Instead, he appears to have carefully prepared for another World Cup, stepping away from the intensity of European football and adapting to American conditions with Inter Miami.

While Cristiano Ronaldo's continued presence in Portugal's team may have limited their progress, Messi remains almost as influential as ever.

“He is just the leader and key player in any team in which he plays,” England coach Thomas Tuchel said.

Messi will now face Spain in a competitive match for the first time, adding another layer of significance to the final.

He moved to Barcelona with his family at the age of 13 and spent two decades at the club before leaving for Paris Saint-Germain in 2021. He holds a Spanish passport and may one day return to settle in Castelldefels, near Barcelona.

For now, however, Messi has only one thing on his mind: ending Spain's World Cup dreams.