That's Why He's the King — Messi Breaks English Hearts in the 90th
England led for 35 minutes. Argentina dominated for 90. And then, in the 90th minute, Lionel Messi broke English hearts with the outside of his right boot. Some things are just inevitable.
By World Soccer Wire Editor
England led for 35 minutes. Argentina dominated for 90. And then, with the clock showing zero time remaining, Lionel Messi reminded the world exactly why no conversation about this tournament — or any other — can be had without him.
There is a version of this World Cup semifinal where England's name is on the final ticket. They defended brilliantly, created their chance, took their goal, and spent the last 35 minutes of the match protecting it against the best player the sport has ever produced.
The problem is that Lionel Messi was on the other side.
How England Did Everything Right — Until They Didn't
England took the lead in the 55th minute and proceeded to execute a defensive plan that was, for long stretches, genuinely impressive. Thomas Tuchel set his side up to be compact and disciplined — just 36% possession, by design, sitting deep, surrendering the ball and daring Argentina to break them down. For over half an hour, it was working.
Argentina had 14 shots to England's 6. They had 6 corners to England's 1. They had Messi, Alvarez, and Enzo Fernandez all threatening, and still the scoreboard read 1-0 in England's favor as the clock ticked toward the 80th minute.
Jordan Pickford was outstanding. Marc Guehi and John Stones were resolute. Declan Rice covered every blade of grass. England were 10 minutes away from a World Cup final.
The Equalizer — 85th Minute
Argentina's equalizer came in the 85th minute and the stats tell you why it was always going to come — six shots on target, relentless pressure, a team that simply refused to accept the scoreline. The goal itself forced extra time into the equation and sent the stadium into chaos.
Five minutes of normal time remained. England needed to hold on.
They couldn't.
The 90th Minute
Lionel Messi, 38 years old, playing in his sixth World Cup, received the ball on the edge of the England penalty area in the 90th minute with his side level and the match on the knife's edge. He didn't rush it. He took one touch to set himself, looked up, and curled a finish into the bottom corner with the outside of his right boot — past Pickford, past the outstretched defenders, into the net. Argentina 2-1.
The stadium erupted. England were out. Messi jogged to the corner flag with the same expression he always wears when he's just done something impossible — somewhere between disbelief and quiet satisfaction.
"That's why he's the king," Scaloni said afterward. It was the only thing worth saying.
The Numbers Behind the Win
Argentina controlled the match from start to finish in every metric that matters. Sixty-four percent possession. Fourteen total shots. Six corners. The only number that didn't go their way for 55 minutes was the one on the scoreboard — and Messi fixed that personally in the final five minutes.
What It Means
Argentina are in the World Cup final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium against Spain, who beat France 2-0 in the other semifinal. For England, this is a familiar kind of heartbreak — a lead surrendered, a final missed. For Messi, this was his 35th World Cup appearance and his last chance to become the first player in history to win back-to-back World Cups as captain.
England couldn't stop him. It's hard to imagine Spain will find a way either.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup Final — Spain vs Argentina — takes place Sunday July 19 at 3:00 PM EDT at MetLife Stadium. Follow live on WorldSoccerWire.com.
Top 20 World Cup Teams After Round One — Our Power Rankings
Every team has played its opener. Some confirmed exactly what we expected. A few completely flipped the script. Here's our power rankings for the top 20 teams after round one of the 2026 World Cup — and the surprises that shook things up.
By World Soccer Wire Editorial
Every team has now played its opening match. Some confirmed exactly what we expected. A few completely flipped the script. Here's how we're ranking the top 20 teams after one round of group play.
One game tells you something, but it doesn't tell you everything. Still, after the opening round of the 2026 World Cup, the gap between contenders and pretenders is already starting to show. Here's where we have the top 20 sitting heading into round two.
1. France
Kylian Mbappé scored twice in a 3-1 win over Senegal, and in doing so passed Olivier Giroud as France's all-time leading scorer with 58 international goals. His 14th World Cup goal also tied him with Gerd Müller for fourth on the all-time tournament list. France looked sluggish for a half before exploding, which is exactly the kind of problem you want — a gear left in reserve. With Mbappé, Désiré Doué, Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise, and Rayan Cherki all available in attack, this is the deepest forward line in the tournament. Sportsbooks have already shifted France to outright favorites.
2. Argentina
You don't drop below second when your captain just scored a hat-trick and tied an all-time World Cup goals record in the same night. Messi's masterclass against Algeria pushed Argentina to a routine 3-0 win, but the deeper story is how well-built this team is around him — Julian Alvarez, Enzo Fernandez, and Alexis Mac Allister give him exactly the platform a 38-year-old needs. The reigning champions look every bit like a team capable of becoming the first to repeat since Brazil in 1962.
3. England
Thomas Tuchel's first tournament in charge of the Three Lions started about as well as it could have — a 4-2 win over Croatia, with England scoring four goals against a side that's reached two of the last three World Cup finals or semifinals. It was England's first win against a top-15 FIFA-ranked opponent at a World Cup since 2002, which tells you everything about how rare statement wins like this have been for them. Harry Kane looked sharp, and there are genuine defensive questions to sort out, but the attacking talent on display was the headline.
4. Spain
The only blemish here is the result, not the performance entirely — Spain were held 1-1 by Cape Verde in one of the bigger shocks of the round, managing just four scoring chances despite controlling two-thirds of possession. Teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, working back from a hamstring issue, didn't start. Spain remain the most talented squad on paper in the entire field, and their group gets easier from here, but this was a wake-up call they didn't see coming.
5. Norway
Erling Haaland scored twice in a 4-1 win over Iraq, and with Martin Ødegaard pulling strings behind him, Norway looked every bit like the dark horse pick everyone's been circling. This is a team built to terrify defenses in transition, and an opening statement win against a tough Iraq side — who'd previously held Spain to a draw — should not be undersold.
6. Portugal
A surprising one to file under "needs work" — Portugal were held 1-1 by DR Congo in a result nobody outside Kinshasa expected. Cristiano Ronaldo remains the focal point of everything they do, for better and for worse, and on this evidence the supporting cast hasn't yet found the right balance around him. Still talented enough to climb, but the group stage just got more complicated.
7. Colombia
Luis Díaz scored his first-ever World Cup goal and added an assist as Colombia beat Uzbekistan 3-1, with Jáminton Campaz sealing it in stoppage time. Colombia play with genuine dynamism and have real depth in midfield. This is a team that several analysts have pegged for a deep semifinal-or-better run, and the opener did nothing to dispel that.
8. Germany
A 7-1 demolition of Curaçao was always going to come with an asterisk given the gulf in quality, but Germany were clinical, organized, and got minutes into 40-year-old Manuel Neuer's legs without any alarm bells. Julian Nagelsmann said afterward the scoreline could have been even more lopsided. The performance matters more than the opponent here.
9. Brazil
Carlo Ancelotti's first major tournament in charge of the Seleção began with a 1-1 draw against Morocco — not the dominant statement a five-time champion wants, but a fair result against a side that reached the semifinals in 2022. Brazil are no longer the unquestioned superpower they once were, and this group, with Morocco and a dangerous Scotland side also involved, will require sharper performances to come.
10. Netherlands
A thrilling comeback draw against Japan showed both Netherlands' quality and their vulnerability in the same 90 minutes. Ranked seventh in the world, they'll need to tighten things defensively, but the attacking talent on display in a 2-2 share of the points suggests there's plenty more in the tank.
11. Belgium
A solid if unspectacular start for the Red Devils. Belgium's golden generation has aged, but there's still enough quality here — particularly in midfield — to cause problems for anyone in the knockout stages, provided they find more consistency than they showed in the opener.
12. Senegal
The 3-1 loss to France stings, but there's no shame in it — Senegal didn't concede until the 66th minute and could easily have been ahead themselves had Nicolas Jackson's first-half effort gone in rather than hitting the post. Sadio Mané remains a dangerous outlet at 33, and a group with Norway and Iraq still to come is very much alive for them.
13. Japan
The Blue Samurai battled back from behind to draw 2-2 with the Netherlands, a result that should give Hajime Moriyasu's side real belief. Japan have been on a six-game winning streak heading into the tournament and remain one of the field's most popular dark-horse picks for a deep run.
14. USA
Folarin Balogun's double and a stunning late Gio Reyna strike powered a 4-1 demolition of Paraguay — the joint-biggest World Cup win in USMNT history. Home advantage, a raucous crowd, and the highest ceiling of talent the program has fielded make this a team to watch closely as the group stage progresses.
15. Turkey
A tough night against Australia, who shocked Turkey 2-0 despite Turkey holding over 70% of the possession. Talent isn't the issue here — execution and final-third decision-making were. There's real quality in this squad to bounce back.
16. Colombia's Group Rival: Uzbekistan (Honorable Mention)
Not quite top-20 in the power rankings, but Uzbekistan's first-ever World Cup goal — a stunning strike from Abbosbek Fayzullaev off a blocked shot — deserves a mention. Debutants making history is what makes an expanded 48-team field worth watching.
17. Mexico
A 2-0 win over South Africa as co-hosts opened the tournament at the Azteca was exactly the start Mexico needed. They'll be without César Montes for the next match after a late red card, but the platform is there to top Group A.
18. Croatia
Despite the loss to England, Croatia scored twice against a quality opponent and remain dangerous with Luka Modrić still pulling strings at 40 alongside a strong supporting cast. This group has knockout-stage quality even after one bad night.
19. South Korea
Heung-min Son's side opened with a win over Czechia and were good value for it. If South Korea tighten up on set pieces, they have the attacking talent to cause a surprise or two in the knockout rounds.
20. Switzerland
A 1-1 draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina was a fortunate result on the night — Switzerland were the better side for long stretches and will feel they should have come away with more. Group B is wide open, and Switzerland have shown enough to believe they can still top it.
The Bigger Picture
What's striking through one round isn't just who won — it's how many African nations have already picked up points. Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, and others have all shown they belong, continuing a trend that's been building since Morocco's run to the semifinals in 2022. With an expanded 48-team field, the margin between "contender" and "dark horse" has never felt thinner.
Round two starts the real test. Group standings are about to get a lot more interesting.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup runs June 11 through July 19 across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Follow all the action at WorldSoccerWire.com.
Magical Messi Masterclass
A long-range screamer. A tap-in. A curled finish into the bottom corner. Lionel Messi just scored his first-ever World Cup hat-trick, tied an all-time scoring record, and became the first man in history to play in six World Cups. He's 38 years old
By World Soccer Wire Editorial
A long-range screamer. A tap-in. A curled finish into the bottom corner. By the time the final whistle blew in Kansas City, Lionel Messi had scored a hat-trick, tied an all-time scoring record, and became the first man in history to appear in six World Cups. He's 38 years old.
There's a version of this story where Lionel Messi shows up to his sixth World Cup, plays a solid, professional game, and Argentina grinds out a result against Algeria. Nobody would have blamed him for that. He's 38. He's already won everything there is to win. The hard part of his career — the part where he had to prove something — ended in Lusail back in 2022.
Instead, Messi spent Tuesday night in Kansas City making sure nobody forgets what he's still capable of.
The Numbers Are Almost Hard to Believe
Argentina beat Algeria 3-0, and Messi scored all three goals himself — his first-ever World Cup hat-trick, arriving on his 200th appearance for the national team. The goals came in the 17th, 60th, and 76th minutes: first a long-range strike that simply exploded into the net, then a close-range tap-in, then a curled, precise finish into the bottom corner to put the result beyond doubt. A fourth goal was waved off for offside.
The hat-trick brought his career World Cup tally to 16 goals, pulling him level with Miroslav Klose for the most goals scored in men's World Cup history. He also extended his combined goals-and-assists total at the tournament to 24, moving past Pelé's longstanding mark of 21 for the most World Cup goal contributions ever recorded.
And then there's the age angle, which on its own would have been the headline of the night in any other match: at 38 years old, Messi became the oldest player to score a brace in men's World Cup history, let alone a hat-trick. Father time has a way of catching up with even the greatest players in the world. On this particular Tuesday, he didn't show up.
A Record Nobody Else Will Touch Anytime Soon
By starting against Algeria, Messi also became the first man ever to appear in six separate World Cups — a record that, by the nature of how international tournaments work, very few players will ever have the opportunity to challenge. Cristiano Ronaldo is chasing the same milestone this summer for Portugal, and the possibility of the two of them meeting in a quarterfinal in Kansas City has been circled on calendars since the draw was made.
For now, though, the night belonged entirely to Messi. Argentina struck the post early, traded disallowed goals with Algeria in a frantic opening, and then let their captain take over. Algeria, to their credit, actually won the overall possession battle — but possession means very little when the man on the other end of the pitch is having one of the great individual nights in World Cup history.
What It Means for Argentina's Title Defense
Argentina are chasing something no team has managed since Brazil in 1962 — winning back-to-back World Cups. Group J also features Austria and Jordan, and on paper this was supposed to be the most straightforward of Argentina's three group games. Messi made sure of it personally.
The supporting cast matters here too. Julian Alvarez, Enzo Fernandez, and Alexis Mac Allister are exactly the kind of midfield engine a 38-year-old superstar needs around him to conserve energy for moments like this. Manager Lionel Scaloni has built this Argentina side to let Messi pick his spots — and on Tuesday, every spot he picked ended up in the back of the net.
The Bigger Picture
Elsewhere on the same day, Kylian Mbappé scored twice as France beat Senegal 3-1, and Erling Haaland struck twice for Norway in a 4-1 win over Iraq. Both were excellent individual performances by two of the best players alive. Messi, characteristically, did one better — turning in a night that didn't just win a football match, but quietly rewrote a chunk of the record book in the process.
He's 38 years old, four games away from a place in World Cup history that may never be matched, and he just reminded an entire planet why that's still true.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup runs June 11 through July 19 across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Follow all the action at WorldSoccerWire.com.
10 Players Who Could Steal the Show at World Cup 2026
The World Cup starts Thursday. You know Messi. You know Mbappé. But 891 players at this tournament are making their first appearance on the biggest stage in football — and a handful of them are about to become household names overnight. We picked 10 worth knowing before kickoff.
By World Soccer Wire Editorial
The tournament kicks off on June 11. You know Messi. You know Mbappé. Here's who you should actually be watching.
The 2026 World Cup is the biggest in history — 48 teams, three countries, 104 matches. With that kind of scale comes something genuinely exciting: a massive wave of players stepping onto the world stage for the first time, with everything to prove and nothing to lose.
We went through the full field and picked 10 names worth knowing before kickoff. Some are already turning heads in Europe's top leagues. A couple of teenagers. One scored 38 goals this season, and almost nobody outside of Portugal noticed. This is your cheat sheet.
1. Yan Diomande — Ivory Coast | RB Leipzig | Age: 19
Start here. Diomande is the most talked-about teenager at this entire tournament, and Leipzig are fighting tooth and nail to keep him — reportedly valuing him north of €130 million despite signing him for just €20 million less than a year ago. That gap tells you everything.
The Ivorian winger put up 12 goals and nine assists in 33 Bundesliga appearances this past season, won the league's rookie of the year award, and has been linked with Liverpool, Manchester City, Real Madrid, PSG, and Bayern Munich — essentially every club that could afford him. He spent three years living in Florida as a teenager, so playing on American soil won't faze him one bit. If the Ivory Coast goes deep, Diomande is the reason.
2. Nico Paz — Argentina | Como | Age: 21
The Messi comparisons started because he's left-footed, plays as a 10, and is Argentine. Annoying as that comparison always is, there's something to the hype. Paz led Como's remarkable rise under Cesc Fàbregas, completing more dribbles than any other player in Serie A this season while contributing 13 goals and eight assists.
Real Madrid sold him to Como but inserted a buy-back clause — that's not a detail you add for a player you're not sure about. Argentina has Messi, so Paz may start from the bench, but tournament football has a way of creating openings. When his chance comes, he tends to take it.
3. Gilberto Mora — Mexico | Tijuana | Age: 17
He's 17. He's the youngest player at the entire tournament. And Mexico is opening the World Cup against South Africa at the Azteca — their home ground — on June 11. The pressure cooker doesn't get more intense than that.
Mora became the youngest goalscorer in Liga MX history at 15, starred against Spain at last year's Under-20 World Cup, and played in the Gold Cup final that Mexico won. The Spanish press nicknamed him "Crackito" — little maestro — and Real Madrid and Manchester City are reportedly watching. He may not start every game, but when he's on, the Azteca will feel it.
4. Johan Manzambi — Switzerland | SC Freiburg | Age: 20
Freiburg's Europa League run this season was the kind of story that doesn't happen in modern football — a mid-table Bundesliga club making a continental final. Manzambi was UEFA's Europa League revelation of the season, scored seven goals from midfield, including a stunning strike against Braga in the semis, and had 33 shot attempts across the campaign — 11 more than any teammate.
Switzerland has a history of nurturing young players on the World Cup stage. Embolo did it. Dan Ndoye has done it. Granit Xhaka has already gone on record praising Manzambi specifically. The Swiss captain doesn't do that lightly.
5. Ricardo Pepi — USA | PSV Eindhoven | Age: 23
The co-hosts need goals. Their group is winnable. And Pepi banged in 19 for PSV last season, including six in his last five games as they won the Eredivisie title. He has already scored 13 international goals and was back in the starting lineup for the USA's warm-up win over Senegal in late May.
American fans will know him. Casual viewers won't — yet. If the US makes any kind of run, Pepi will be central to it, and a World Cup at home has a way of turning domestic players into household names overnight.
6. Bazoumana Touré — Ivory Coast | Hoffenheim | Age: 20
"The Hurricane." That nickname came from his pace, but the stats back up the whole package. Twelve assists in 30 Bundesliga games this season after joining Hoffenheim from Swedish side Hammarby in January 2025. Manchester United and Newcastle are both reportedly keen.
The wrinkle is that the Ivory Coast has an embarrassment of attacking riches — Diomande on one flank, Amad Diallo on the other. Touré may have to fight for minutes, but when he gets them, defenders have struggled to handle him all season. "Bazoumania" is a real thing.
7. Ibrahim Maza — Algeria | Bayer Leverkusen | Age: 20
In Algeria, they're already calling him "Mazadona" — the Maradona comparison, applied to a 20-year-old Berliner who plays attacking midfield for the reigning Bundesliga champions. High bar. But watch him play and you understand where the nickname comes from.
Maza made over 40 appearances for Leverkusen this season and has 15 international caps despite being two decades old. He plays in the pockets between midfield and defense, drives forward with the ball, and scores goals that midfielders aren't supposed to score. Algeria fancy themselves as this tournament's Morocco — the team that goes further than anyone expects. Maza is why.
8. Luis Suárez — Colombia | Sporting CP | Age: 28
Not that one. This Luis Suarez is Colombian, plays for Sporting in Portugal, and just scored 38 goals in his debut season at the club — filling the exact void left when Viktor Gyokeres departed for Arsenal. He also added nine assists. In one season. For a team that had just lost its star striker.
He's only scored five times for Colombia at the international level so far, but the form he's carrying into this tournament is absurd. Colombia is a genuine dark horse, and Suarez is the player who could announce himself to the wider world in a very short amount of time.
9. Luka Vuskovic — Croatia | Tottenham (on loan at Hamburg) | Age: 19
Croatia without Luka Modric would feel like a different team entirely — and it is. But Vuskovic is the kind of player who fills a vacuum. A commanding centre-back who popped up with six goals during his loan spell at Hamburg, he made his Hajduk Split debut at 16, accelerated through Croatia's youth system, and Spurs had the deal agreed 18 months before it was even announced publicly.
That level of forward planning from a club that doesn't always get things right in the transfer market is itself a signal. In a tournament where Croatia is rebuilding its identity post-Modric era, Vuskovic has the personality and the ability to give them a new one.
10. Endrick — Brazil | Real Madrid | Age: 18 (WSW Pick)The
BBC left him off. We're putting him on. Endrick joined Real Madrid last summer as one of the most hyped teenagers in world football and has been eased in carefully — but Brazil at a World Cup is a different context entirely. The pressure, the expectation, the yellow shirt with its weight of history. For someone like Endrick, that stage isn't a burden; it's a source of fuel.
He's 18, plays for the biggest club in the world, and Brazil needs someone to pick up the torch that Neymar has been slowly dropping for years. This is where careers are made. Endrick was born for exactly this kind of moment — and if Brazil needs a spark in a tight game, Vinicius Jr. will be the first option, but Endrick might be the one people are talking about by the end.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup runs from June 11 through July 19 across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Messi Confirmed for a Record Sixth World Cup — But Argentina Is Holding Its Breath
"Messi is in — but Argentina is watching his hamstring. At 38, with a record sixth World Cup on the line, here's what his selection means and who missed the cut."
By World Soccer Wire Editorial
He's in. At 38 years old, with a hamstring scare hanging over him and history on the line, Lionel Messi has been officially named to Argentina's 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Coach Lionel Scaloni announced the selection Thursday, confirming what the soccer world had hoped — the greatest player of his generation will get one final shot at defending his world title on North American soil.
It will be Messi's sixth appearance at the tournament, joining Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo as the only players in history to appear in six men's World Cup tournaments. The record alone would be remarkable. But Messi isn't here for records — he's here to win.
The injury cloud
His participation was put in jeopardy last week after he exited the field during Inter Miami's MLS game against the Philadelphia Union with an injury. Inter Miami later confirmed that Messi suffered from muscle fatigue in his left hamstring, with his return timeline depending on day-to-day progress.
Argentina opens Group J play on June 16 against Algeria at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. That gives Messi roughly 18 days to get right. Every update between now and then will be front page news.
The squad Scaloni built
Scaloni has largely stayed loyal to the core group that lifted the trophy in Qatar in 2022 — 17 members of that winning squad return, including Emiliano Martinez, Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister, Julian Alvarez, and Lautaro Martinez.
Among the notable inclusions is Como standout Nico Paz, who thrived in Serie A and helped lead Cesc Fabregas's side to Champions League qualification for the first time. Sports Illustrated
The big omission
The most high-profile exclusion is Franco Mastantuono, the teenage Real Madrid midfielder who has generated enormous excitement as one of the most sought-after young players in world football. Despite being considered by many as a future Argentine great, Scaloni opted for experience and cohesion over potential. For a squad defending a title, that's a defensible call — but it won't stop the debate.
What's at stake
Only Brazil in 1958 and 1962, and Italy in 1934 and 1938, have ever repeated as World Cup champions. Argentina has a chance to do something that hasn't happened in over 60 years — and they're doing it on North American soil with the greatest player who ever lived leading the charge, fitness permitting. FOX Sports
The 2026 World Cup just got even bigger.