Lionel Messi's last stand? Fans read into pre-final post

He reflects on the journey with his teammates before the final against Spain

Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Semi Final - England v Argentina - Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia, US – Jul 15, 2026 Argentina's Lionel Messi IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Nathan Ray Seebeck

Lionel Messi has never needed words to do the talking on a football pitch.

On the eve of the World Cup final, though, he reached for them anyway, and Argentina's fans think they know exactly what he meant.

Argentina booked their spot in Sunday's (Monday 1am Bangladesh time) final with a gritty 2-1 comeback win over England, while Spain cruised past France 2-0 to set up the summit clash.

Messi was at the heart of it again, setting up both goals after England had drawn first blood.

Ahead of the biggest match of the tournament, the Argentina captain posted a group photo on Instagram with his teammates and coaching staff, a snapshot of the bond that has carried this squad through the tournament.

In the caption, Messi said: “The nicest thing about all these years was never just the titles, but all the way. Share the day-to-day with this group, compete together, get up in the difficult moments and enjoy every step

“Thanks to each of my teammates, the technical staff and all the people who work every day to keep this National Team a family. Whatever happens tomorrow, this group has already written a story that we will never forget and that no one can erase."