Lionel Messi stops England again: A painful defeat at the 2026 World Cup

Living football legend Lionel Messi continues to showcase world-class masterclasses even at 39. In the 2026 World Cup semi-final, England's dreams were shattered precisely because of this player. The English, under the management of Thomas Tuchel, were close to bringing the trophy home after a 60-year wait, but the Argentine captain's magic in the final minutes changed everything. This is reported by Goal.com reports.

In this match, England took the lead thanks to a goal by Anthony Gordon. However, with five minutes left, Messi had his say. First, he provided a brilliant pass for Enzo Fernandez's equalizer, and in the second minute of stoppage time, he assisted Lautaro Martinez's winning goal. In an interview with Goal.com, former defender Joleon Lescott emphasized that England should not complain about this defeat, as it is impossible to stop Messi.

Thomas Tuchel's tactical error and Messi's awakening

England head coach Thomas Tuchel's decision to instruct the team to defend after taking the lead was criticized by experts. The team's retreat into a defensive shell created open spaces for Argentina and Lionel Messi personally. According to Lescott, although Messi seemed relatively quiet for 85 minutes, he drastically raised his level once his team began to lose.

Statistics show that in the final half-hour of the match, Lionel Messi had more touches than any other player on the pitch, taking control of the game. This proved once again that despite his age, he is still capable of deciding the fate of a match. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner is now confidently marching toward his ninth award.

For England, this remains another painful semi-final in history. The team was seen as a primary contender for the title after defeating strong opponents like Mexico and Norway in the knockout stages. However, repeating the success of 1966 will be delayed by at least another four years. The English press is writing that Tuchel's overly cautious tactics do not pay off against a genius like Messi.

This confrontation also sparked great interest among football fans in Uzbekistan. Messi's ability to produce such results in high-level tournaments, particularly the World Cup, even after moving to Inter Miami, is a high testament to his professionalism. Argentina continues its path toward another set of gold medals in its history.