Hold on a second — seriously, hear this out.
Everyone knows the complicated history between Lionel Messi and Argentina. For years, Diego Maradona sat above him in the national imagination, right up until Messi finally delivered the World Cup four years ago.
Since then, after carrying Argentina through two unforgettable tournaments, Messi has been embraced at home like never before — a genuine national icon.
And yet, this might still turn out to be the defining match of his Argentina career.
This rivalry has come up again and again on this blog, but it is impossible to overstate how much this fixture means back in Argentina. Defeat is not just unthinkable — it would leave supporters everywhere absolutely raging.
If Argentina overcome England today, it could go a long way toward cementing Messi’s status as the greatest player his country has ever produced. Lose, though, and the blow to that legacy would be significant.
Messi has never faced the Three Lions, meaning he has never had the stage to echo Maradona’s famous tormenting of England with a moment of his own genius.
Now that opportunity is finally here. The question is whether he can seize it.
