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Lionel Messi delivered a brutal verdict on England after Argentina’s comeback World Cup win, claiming the Three Lions “didn’t want it anymore” as momentum swung late.
Argentina’s Lionel Messi (AP)
Lionel Messi delivered a brutal post-match assessment of England after inspiring Argentina’s dramatic comeback victory in the FIFA World Cup semi-final, claiming the Three Lions simply stopped believing.
England looked on course for a place in the final after Anthony Gordon’s 55th-minute strike gave Thomas Tuchel’s side the lead in Atlanta.
But the defending champions roared back late on.
Enzo Fernandez rifled home a stunning equaliser in the 85th minute before Lautaro Martinez nodded in Messi’s pinpoint cross in stoppage time to seal a remarkable 2-1 victory and send Argentina into a second successive World Cup final.
‘We Felt They Didn’t Want It Anymore’
Messi, who created both Argentine goals, revealed his side sensed England were fading as the game entered its closing stages.
“We felt a lot of emotion, and when we were drawing, we needed the support of the fans because we saw that we could win it in 90 minutes,” Messi said.
“Because we already had the goal, because we entered through the inside, the outside, because we created opportunities with crosses, through line passes, through the inside.
“And we felt they didn’t want it anymore and we just kept coming. That’s why after the 1-1, the crowd helped us once more.
“As I said, we are happy because it was a close match. We always want to win, and also because it takes us to play another World Cup final.”
The comments were a stinging verdict on England’s late collapse after they surrendered control of the match despite holding the advantage with just minutes remaining.
Tuchel’s Tactics Under Fire
England manager Thomas Tuchel has already come under scrutiny for his conservative approach after Gordon’s opener.
Rather than pushing for a second goal, Tuchel reshuffled his side by introducing Ezri Konsa, Nico O’Reilly and Dan Burn in place of Gordon, Reece James and Declan Rice, effectively retreating into a defensive shell.
The changes handed Argentina momentum, with Messi beginning to dictate possession and repeatedly finding dangerous areas around England’s penalty box.
After Fernandez levelled, Argentina continued to pour forward before Martinez completed the turnaround in the 92nd minute.
Tuchel only introduced attacking reinforcements Ivan Toney and Marcus Rashford deep into stoppage time, replacing defenders John Stones and Djed Spence, but by then England’s World Cup dream had already slipped away.
Argentina will now face Spain in Sunday’s World Cup final as Messi chases a second consecutive world title to cap his extraordinary international career.
Lionel Messi is one step away from potentially securing another World Cup title, as Argentina has reached the 2026 FIFA World Cup final. Argentina will face Spain in the final, with a chance to win back-to-back World Cups.
About the Author
After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His…Read More
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