At 39 years old, Lionel Messi has done it again.
The football legend set up both of Argentina's goals on Wednesday, turning a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 victory over England in New Jersey and sending his nation to their second consecutive World Cup final. England had taken the lead in the 55th minute through Anthony Gordon, and for a moment it looked like Messi's story might be over. It was not.
As England sat back and tried to protect their lead, Argentina dominated with 88% possession over the next 37 minutes. And that's when Messi decided to take over. Moving from a central position to the right wing, he turned the game into his personal highlight reel.
The numbers from those final minutes are almost impossible to believe. Messi completed nine dribbles — fancy footwork past defenders — in the match. The entire England team combined managed just seven successful dribbles the whole game. He had seven touches in England's penalty area. The same as every English player put together. He created four scoring chances. Again, matching what all of England's players produced combined.
His first assist came from a corner kick in the 85th minute. He found Enzo Fernandez, who fired in a spectacular equalizer from outside the box. Then, deep in injury time, Messi delivered a perfect cross for Lautaro Martinez to head in the winner.
Former England defender Micah Richards, commentating for the BBC, put it simply: "That's why he is the king. We thought it could have been Jude Bellingham or Harry Kane, but this is why he is the king."
This performance also made history. According to records dating back to 1966, Messi became the first player on record to complete nine or more dribbles AND assist two goals in a single World Cup knockout match.
Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez explained the tactical shift that unlocked Messi's brilliance: "Getting Messi on the wing was the key for us."
Messi is now the joint top scorer at the 2026 World Cup with eight goals, level with France's Kylian Mbappe. He also has four assists, trailing only France's Michael Olise. But perhaps most remarkable is his overall World Cup record: 21 career goals, making him the all-time top scorer in the tournament's history. Fifteen of those 21 goals have come since he turned 35 years old.
Argentina will face Spain — the country where Messi spent most of his career at Barcelona — in Sunday's final in New Jersey. For a player many thought might retire from international football back in 2016, after losing three straight finals, it is quite a coda to his career.
Ex-England goalkeeper Paul Robinson put it this way: "He's a little magician, he really is."