Lionel Messi says Argentina have “already written a narrative that nobody can erase” forward of their World Cup remaining assembly with Spain.
The reigning champions got here from behind to safe a dramatic 2-1 victory over England within the semi-final, giving them the possibility to retain their trophy on Sunday.
Argentina are competing of their seventh World Cup remaining, with solely Germany enjoying in additional (eight). They’re three-time winners (1978, 1986, 2022) and three-time runners-up (1930, 1990, 2014).
The Albiceleste have gained all seven of their matches at this 12 months’s event and might be the primary workforce since Brazil in 2002 (gained 7/7) to have a 100% successful report in a single version.
Ought to they win, eight wins in a row could be the outright second-longest successful run in World Cup historical past, behind Brazil’s 11-game streak between 2002 and 2006.
Messi has been an enormous a part of Argentina’s success on the finals this 12 months and is about to turn out to be simply the second participant in World Cup historical past to seem in three finals (2014, 2022 and 2026), together with Brazil’s Cafu (1994, 1998, 2002).
He scored twice in 2022, and the one gamers to attain in consecutive finals are Vava for Brazil in 1958 and 1962 and Kylian Mbappe for France in 2018 and 2022.
Forward of the ultimate, Messi posted a photograph of the Argentina squad, praising the journey they’ve been on over the past 5 weeks.
“The nicest factor about all these years was by no means simply the titles, however all the best way,” he mentioned within the put up.
“Sharing the day-to-day with this group, competing collectively, getting up within the tough moments and having fun with each step.
“Thanks to every of my team-mates, the technical workers and all of the individuals who work day by day to maintain this nationwide workforce a household.
“No matter occurs, this group has already written a narrative that we are going to always remember and that nobody can erase.”
Messi, who might be making his final look on the finals and certainly for Argentina, nonetheless has an opportunity to win the Golden Boot and regain the World Cup all-time scoring report, having been overtaken by Mbappe on Saturday.
The Argentina captain has netted eight occasions thus far in 2026 (additionally 4 assists) to the Frenchman’s 10, and has 21 in whole, one fewer than Mbappe.
This will probably be solely the second assembly between Spain and Argentina within the World Cup, with Argentina successful 2-1 within the group phases in 1966.
This match additionally marks the primary time the reigning Copa America champions have confronted the reigning European champions in a World Cup remaining.
