Four years ago it felt as if Lionel Messi’s story was told.He had finally won the World Cup, aged 35, in what he said was his last game in the tournament and – depending on your point of view – cemented his place as football’s greatest ever player.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementFour years before that, aged 31, many – including those around him – felt he had played his final World Cup game and would end his career without winning it.And here he is at 39, having helped take England to the cleaners and send Argentina to their second World Cup final in a row.Messi’s two assists helped the South American side come from behind to win 2-1, taking him up to four assists at the 2026 World Cup – to go with his eight goals.The joint top scorer and the second highest assister in the whole show.Argentina will play Spain, the country where Messi has played most of his football with Barcelona, in Sunday’s final in New Jersey.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement”He’s the best player in history, I don’t know what else he would have to do to prove that. The majority of Spaniards love him,” said his national team boss Lionel Scaloni.BBC pundit Micah Richards said: “They have Lionel Messi. They have the ‘GOAT’. The greatest of all time.”[It’s about] moments. We thought it could have been Jude Bellingham or Harry Kane, but this is why he is the king.”When the World Cup finishes, the football continues on BBC SportWorld Cup 2026 knockout pathHow to watch the World Cup on the BBC and ITV[BBC]Former Barcelona and Paris St-Germain forward Messi had never played England in his career before – and Thomas Tuchel and every Three Lions fan will wish that was still the case.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe veteran showed a few quality touches in an attritional first half – playing more centrally – but it was after Anthony Gordon gave England a 55th-minute lead that Argentina came to life.As Tuchel sent on more defenders and England sat back, Argentina had 88% possession for the following 37 minutes.And Messi had a field day after moving out to the right wing.”Getting Messi on the wing was the key for us,” said goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez afterwards.He completed nine dribbles and assisted two goals against England – the first player on record (from 1966 onwards) to do so in a single World Cup knockout game.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe entire England team combined completed seven successful dribbles in Atlanta.Messi had seven touches in the opposition box – the same as every English player added together. Ditto his four chances created.He also put in a game-high nine crosses.And by far the most important, he set up both of Argentina’s goals.The first was from a corner routine when he found Enzo Fernandez, who slammed in an 85th-minute equaliser from outside the box.And then he crossed for Lautaro Martinez to head in an injury-time winner.Ex-England defender Richards said: “He walks around the pitch and then he comes alive when the ball comes t
