For most people, this particular match immediately evokes images from the “Azteca” of 1986. Where Diego Armando Maradona, in four minutes, wrote perhaps the greatest contradiction in the history of football. First the famous “Hand of God” and then the greatest goal of all time, when he passed the entire England defense, before beating goalkeeper Peter Shilton. Two phases. Two different worlds. The same man.



Since that day, every Argentina-England match has carried the shadow of Maradona. Forty years later, however, History changes protagonist. Lionel Messi has never been a copy of Diego. And perhaps this is his greatest victory. For years he heard that he should become “the new Maradona”. He never tried to imitate him. He preferred to become the first Messi.

One conquered the world with revolution, passion and raw genius. The other conquered it with duration, consistency, intelligence and an almost unreal regularity. Maradona created storms. Messi creates calm in chaos. And yet, their paths cross again at the same point. Against England the Argentina captain returns to the World Cup semi-finals for the third time in his career, a feat that no other Argentine footballer has achieved. This time he did not need to score against the excellent Switzerland. His presence was enough. His calm. The personality that turns pressure into confidence for the entire team.

The qualification came after a real battle. Switzerland forced the world champions to reach their limits, but Argentina proved once again that it has the characteristic that accompanies all great teams: it finds a way to survive when it cannot impress.

After the match, Messi didn't talk about himself. He talked about Julián Álvarez, Lautaro Martínez, the team's faith and the shared effort. Perhaps this is the biggest change compared to the early years of his career. Today he is not just Argentina's top footballer. He is its natural leader. And when asked about England, he did not hide his emotion.

He admitted that he grew up watching the images of 1986 countless times. Like almost every child in Argentina, he learned the history of football through Maradona's exploits against the English.

Today, however, he is no longer the spectator. He is the protagonist. The duel takes on even greater significance because Messi has never faced England in a World Cup. Fate has reserved this appointment for the moment when his career is coming to an end. Perhaps because great stories know when they must end.

On the other side lies one of the most talented generations that English football has ever produced. England has the quality, depth, speed and maturity to claim the trophy. But they know full well that they will not find just eleven opponents against them.

They will find a shirt that carries a memory. They will find a people who live for these nights. And they will find the man who has defied all logic for almost twenty years.

Lionel Messi no longer needs to prove that he is one of the greatest of all time. He did it with the 2022 World Cup, with the Copa America, with his countless trophies and unimaginable records. But there are matches that don't just add another title.

They add another legend. If Maradona made Argentina-England his in 1986, Messi now has the opportunity to give his own generation a new footballing eternity. Because some games are not judged only by the result. They are judged by how History remembers them.