"Without a doubt, Diego is enjoying this victory from above. It is a gift for him. Today must be a very special day for him," Messi said after the 2026 World Cup semi-final on 15/7.

At Mercedes Benz Stadium, Argentina secured a 2-1 comeback win against England. Enzo Fernandez scored with a long-range shot in the 85th minute, followed by Lautaro Martinez's header in the 90+2 minute. Messi was the hero, assisting both goals. Earlier, Anthony Gordon had tapped in to open the scoring for "the Three Lions" in the 55th minute.

Messi (right) celebrates after assisting Fernandez's equalizer in Argentina's 2-1 victory over England in the 2026 World Cup semi-final on the evening of 15/7, in Atlanta, USA. *AP*

The semi-final on the evening of 15/7 evoked memories of the 1986 World Cup quarter-final, where Argentina also defeated England 2-1 with a brace from Maradona. The late legend famously used his hand to push the ball over goalkeeper Peter Shilton when opening the scoring, a goal he later explained with the phrase "Hand of God". He then broke through from midfield to double the lead. Gary Lineker scored one goal back for England.

After overcoming "the Three Lions", Maradona continued to help Argentina defeat Belgium 2-0 in the semi-final and then beat West Germany 3-2 in the final. Experts consistently regard Maradona's achievements in 1986 as one of the greatest individual performances in World Cup history.

Maradona and the victory over England also resonated deeply with the Argentine people partly due to the Malvinas (also known as Falklands) dispute. These islands are located about 500 km from Argentina but remain under British control. Both countries have claimed sovereignty over the islands since the 19th century. In 1982, Argentina launched a military campaign to reclaim them, but failed.

Argentine fans today incorporate Malvinas into football culture. One of their slogans at the 2026 World Cup is: "For Malvinas, for Diego, for Leo's final title."

Maradona once directly coached Messi at the 2010 World Cup. In November 2020, he passed away in Argentina at the age of 60, following a heart attack.

Argentina coach Diego Maradona talks with Lionel Messi after their 4-1 victory over South Korea in the opening match of Group B at the 2010 World Cup at Soccer City Johannesburg, South Africa on 17/6/2010. *AFP*

Argentina will face Spain in the 2026 World Cup final on the evening of 19/7, at MetLife Stadium, USA. In March, had the Middle East conflict not erupted, the two teams might have met in the Intercontinental Super Cup in Qatar. Disagreements over alternative timing and venue later led to the match's cancellation.

Messi is set to equal Cafu's record of playing three World Cup finals; the Brazilian defender played in the 1994, 1998, and 2002 finals. The Argentina captain previously played in the 2014 and 2022 finals.

The upcoming final also presents an opportunity for the Argentina captain to break two World Cup records: scoring 21 goals (one more than Kylian Mbappe) and providing 12 assists (four more than Maradona). Mbappe also has a chance to compete when France plays England in the third-place match on the evening of 18/7.

Thanh Quy (according to TyCSports)