Manu Ginóbili's viral reaction to Messi's play delights fans during Argentina's World Cup win

Basketball icon Manu Ginóbili was present at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas to witness Argentina's 2-0 World Cup victory over Austria. During the match, the international broadcast captured Ginóbili's live reaction to a skillful play by Lionel Messi, which quickly gained traction on social media.

Following Messi's missed penalty early in the game, the Argentine captain orchestrated a notable play that resulted in an own goal by Austria's David Alaba and a subsequent save by goalkeeper Alexander Schlager. Ginóbili's animated reaction to this sequence was filmed and subsequently shared widely online, resonating with many Argentine fans.

Later, Messi scored the opening goal, assisted by Facundo Medina. While Ginóbili's reaction to the goal itself wasn't broadcast, he shared a story on his personal account with the score update, exclaiming, "¡Ahora sí neneeeee!" expressing his clear admiration for Messi.

Adding to the celebratory atmosphere, screens at the stadium showed Ginóbili, prompting a loud ovation from the crowd chanting his name. This moment, though not captured by the main broadcast, was widely reported. Another member of Argentina's "Generación Dorada," Andrés "Chapu" Nocioni, also took to social media platform X to praise Messi's performance, stating, "Jojojo what a beast Messi!!! We forgive you for the penalty your whole life!" The match concluded with a 2-0 win for Argentina, with Messi scoring both goals.