No goals, but Messi's team play guides Argentina to another World Cup final

Lionel Messi, while not adding to his eight goals in the tournament, proved his profound influence as Argentina secured a second successive World Cup final appearance by defeating England. Unlike players who rely heavily on individual efforts, Messi's strength lies in integrating his exceptional skills into the team's collective play. The Argentina players mobbed Messi after Lautaro Martinez scored the winning goal in stoppage time, a testament to the captain's pivotal role. Messi has played every minute of Argentina's knockout matches, strategically conserving energy for critical moments. He previously scored in wins against Cape Verde and Egypt and provided an assist in the quarter-final victory over Switzerland. His impact grew significantly as the semi-final progressed, particularly after Argentina conceded in the 55th minute. Moving from a central attacking position to the right wing, Messi delivered a series of dangerous crosses into the penalty area, creating scoring opportunities for his teammates. His pass led to Enzo Fernandez's 85th-minute equalizer, and he managed to keep the ball in play before crossing for Martinez's decisive goal seven minutes later. These assists brought Messi's World Cup assist tally to 12, matching his 21 goals at the global showpiece. This performance extends his international career at least until Sunday's final against Spain, where he may conclude his illustrious World Cup journey.