Argentina national team captain Lionel Messi reacted to criticism after the team reached the final of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Argentinians overcame the semi-final by defeating England 2-1 and took second place in the World Cup final.
Messi emphasized that the current level of the team was achieved solely through hard work. He noted that nothing was given to anyone for free.
He stated: 'We fight on the field, we play good football. Look at the match against England. Even if we were behind in score, we controlled the game and did not lose our advantage.'
Argentina is the reigning champion of the 2022 World Cup. In the 2026 World Cup final, the team under the guidance of Lionel Scaloni will play against the Spanish national team.
The publication The Athletic has published an updated ranking of the best footballers for the 2026 World Cup (WC-2026), which will take place in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
According to the updated table, Argentina captain Lionel Messi is in first place. In second place is French forward Kylian Mbappé, and rounding out the top three is English midfielder Jude Bellingham.
According to The Athletic's assessment, the list of the top ten players looks like this: first place is Lionel Messi from Argentina; second is Kylian Mbappé from France; third is Jude Bellingham from England. Following them are Harry Kane (England), Erling Haaland (Norway), Michael Olise (France), Ousmane Dembélé (France), Ashraf Hakimi (Morocco), Vinícius Júnior (Brazil), and Aymeric Laporte (Spain) completes the top ten.
Former Brazilian footballer Rivaldo highly praised Lionel Messi's performance after the national team defeated Egypt 3-2 in the round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Rivaldo noted the fighting spirit, desire to win, struggle, and dedication, emphasizing that fans at the World Cup want to see exactly such teams. He stated that there is no need to say too much about Leo Messi, noting his skill.
Despite participating in his sixth World Cup at the age of 39, Messi continues to show his love for the Argentine national team. According to Rivaldo, the player enjoys himself, fights, cries, and once again becomes a decisive player for his team.
As a Brazilian, Rivaldo expressed his love for his country and support for Brazil. He added that competition is an integral part of football, but he also values great play and teams that display it on the field. He concluded that such matches increase the value of football and meet the standard of the World Cup, congratulating Argentina on advancing to the next stage.
