‘Nobody gave us anything’ – Messi fires back at World Cup conspiracy claims after Argentina edge England

Lionel Messi has strongly rejected accusations that FIFA have tilted the 2026 World Cup in Argentina’s favor following their dramatic 2-1 semi-final victory over England on Wednesday. Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez struck late to send Argentina into the final for the third time in four tournaments, keeping alive their bid to become the first side since Brazil in 1962 to successfully defend the title. England had taken the lead through Anthony Gordon in the 55th minute, but Argentina roared back and turned the game around with two late goals to book a date in Sunday’s showpiece at New Jersey. Argentina’s path to the final has been far from smooth, with controversy shadowing each knockout round. They needed extra time to see off Cape Verde in the Round of 32, and subsequent wins over Egypt and Switzerland were both accompanied by disputed VAR calls. Egypt lodged a formal complaint after their 3-2 loss, while Switzerland striker Breel Embolo saw red for a second yellow card in the quarter-final after diving to win a free-kick under a new VAR protocol. Conspiracy theorists have pointed to what they claim is preferential treatment from FIFA – including the appointment of an MLS referee for the semi-final – to keep Messi in the tournament. But the Argentina captain was having none of it when asked about the allegations after the England game. “Let people keep enjoying it,” Messi said. “What this group has achieved is incredible – another final, we’ve come back to be world champions, we’re the best in the world after these four years, whether people like it or not, and no matter what they say. “This proves that what we did wasn’t by chance and that nobody gave us anything. Reaching two World Cup finals is something few achieve, and this group did it. This group doesn’t surprise me. I know and we knew what we were capable of. People out there had doubts, but when this group comes together and is united, it finds what it doesn’t have to give its all.” Messi added: “We are proud and happy to be able to give this to the people, we know that the World Cups are special for us. We forget all the bad things we have to go through, there are people who have a hard time, who don’t have a job, who don’t make ends meet – it’s our life, what we’ve always had to deal with, it’s beautiful to be able to give this joy to them. “We Argentinians always demand more. If we had lost to England today, there would have been people saying stupid things, and we didn’t give them the chance… we knew that we were better than them at football, but it’s still special because of everything it means.”