Well, England almost made it. Almost. After 58 years of waiting to reach a World Cup final, they found themselves leading Argentina in the semi-final. Then Lionel Messi decided he wasn't done making history, and in a move that felt almost comically dramatic, orchestrated two late goals to snatch victory from the jaws of… well, a final.
It all went down in Atlanta, in front of a crowd of 68,239 fans who probably needed a defibrillator by the 92nd minute. Anthony Gordon had put England ahead 10 minutes into the second half, and for a glorious stretch, it looked like the Three Lions were finally breaking their half-century curse.
But this is Messi we're talking about, and apparently, the man simply doesn't believe in neat career endings. Many thought his story was complete after Qatar in 2022. He clearly thought, "Hold my beer." And maybe also, "Watch this."
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Start Your News DetoxThe Unthinkable Comeback
The clock was ticking, England was sitting back, presumably dreaming of that elusive final. Then, in the 85th minute, Messi, who had never played England in a competitive match before, decided it was time for an introduction. He set up Enzo Fernandez for the equalizer. The stadium erupted. England likely had a collective gasp.
But Messi wasn't finished with the narrative arc. With extra time looming, he delivered a perfectly weighted cross to substitute Lautaro Martinez. Martinez, clearly understanding the assignment, headed in the winning goal in the 92nd minute. Just like that, England's dreams were shattered, and Argentina was headed to the final. Again.
This wasn't just any win. It keeps Argentina's hopes alive of winning back-to-back World Cups, a feat not achieved since Brazil in 1962. And Messi? He's now set to become only the second player, after Cafu, to play in three World Cup finals. Because why retire quietly when you can keep rewriting the record books?
England, meanwhile, will now face France in a third-place playoff in Miami. Which, let's be honest, is the kind of game neither team wants to play after such a brutal semi-final. The heartbreak was palpable, especially after being so close to their first final in six decades. Sometimes, the universe just really wants you to keep watching Messi.
