Messi dedicates Argentina’s dramatic World Cup victory over England to fans
By Joel Masibo, July 16, 2026Lionel Messi has credited Argentina’s supporters after the world champions booked their place in the FIFA World Cup final with a dramatic comeback victory over England on Wednesday, July 15, 2026.
The Argentina captain admitted the fierce football rivalry with England added extra drive for the squad as they battled into another global final.
“Although it was just one match, we experienced some special moments,” Messi said after the game. “The fans wanted this victory more than any other, because of what it means to face England in a semifinal and reach another World Cup final.”
England take the lead
England looked set for victory after Anthony Gordon opened the scoring in the 55th minute, but Enzo Fernandez restored parity in the 85th minute before Lautaro Martinez found the winner seven minutes later, sending Argentina into Sunday’s final against Spain.
Messi, who set up both goals, praised the determination shown by his teammates as they overturned the deficit.
“This team never stops trying,” he said. “We went out there playing football with real determination. We pinned them back in their own half and showed we could win it in normal time, without going to extra time.
“No Argentine wanted to lose this match. The way this entire World Cup has unfolded has been incredible, especially considering the significance of this semifinal against England. No one wanted to lose today, setting aside any other context, but that’s how it is.”
Martinez, introduced in place of Nicolas Tagliafico before scoring the decisive goal 11 minutes later, admitted he was overwhelmed by the occasion.
“It’s very difficult to speak right now, but I’m going to try not to cry because I already cried a lot in there,” the 28-year-old said. “It’s incredible what we’ve achieved. We’ve kept moving forward, and that’s the greatest satisfaction we can have.
“We pulled off a very difficult victory. The first half was very tough. They pressed us very well. In the second half, they scored, sat back, and we were able to control the game more calmly, keeping possession,” he said.
Martinez leaves it late
The Inter Milan striker also highlighted the influence of Argentina’s supporters, whose vocal backing helped inspire the late turnaround.
“With the encouragement of the fans, everything became easier,” he said. “We managed to get the second goal in stoppage time, and after that, it was pure happiness.”
Looking ahead to the title clash, Martinez expects Spain to present an even tougher examination.
“They are a rival with great players, so now we need to rest and recover as much energy as possible to prepare for the final in the best way possible,” he said.
“But we also want to enjoy it because reaching the final again is not an easy feat.” He said.