Lionel Messi Speaks After Argentina Reaches 2026 World Cup Final

Argentina captain Lionel Messi attributed his team's advancement to the 2026 World Cup final to the squad's diligent effort and quality play throughout the tournament. He refuted claims that the Albiceleste received preferential treatment en route to reaching the final match for the second consecutive edition.

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It's incredible what we have achieved. We are back in the World Cup final. Maybe some people will be sad to see it and they can say whatever they want. But this team has shown that the results we are getting are the result of hard work.

Argentina secured their spot in the final after a comeback 2-1 victory over England in the semifinal held at Atlanta Stadium. Despite falling behind to an early goal by Anthony Gordon, Lionel Scaloni's team turned the tide with goals from Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez. Messi played a pivotal role, contributing two crucial assists during the match.

"It's incredible what we have achieved. We are back in the World Cup final. Maybe some people will be sad to see it and they can say whatever they want. But this team has shown that the results we are getting are the result of hard work," Messi stated, as quoted by Antara. The 39-year-old emphasized that Argentina's success was built not only on fighting spirit but also on demonstrating superior quality, particularly in their ability to dominate England even after conceding the first goal.

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We compete, we fight, and we also play well. Just look at how we played today. We were able to dominate England even when we were trailing.

Messi expressed pride in Argentina's consecutive appearances in the World Cup final. "I am proud and happy to be able to make all the people of Argentina share this happiness," he said. Argentina is set to face Spain in the final at New Jersey Stadium on Monday, July 20, 2026, with an opportunity to defend the world title they won in the previous tournament.

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I am proud and happy to be able to make all the people of Argentina share this happiness.

Meanwhile, England captain Harry Kane reflected on his team's semifinal loss, suggesting they erred by adopting too defensive a stance after taking the lead. He believes such an approach is insufficient at the World Cup semifinal level. "It's disappointing for the team, staff, and supporters. We played well for almost the entire game. But after going up 1-0, we seemed to just try to protect the lead. At this level, that's not enough," Kane commented, as reported by FIFA. He described the defeat as particularly painful given the players' commitment throughout the tournament, stating, "We worked very hard to be here. All the players gave their blood, sweat, and tears. Failing in this way is truly painful."

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It's disappointing for the team, staff, and supporters. We played well for almost the entire game. But after going up 1-0, we seemed to just try to protect the lead. At this level, that's not enough.