Lionel Messi, Argentina score World Cup semifinal

ATLANTA — The jury is still out on whether or not Lionel Messi is the best soccer participant ever. But there needs to be no doubt he’s the best to ever play in a World Cup.

And you don’t need the data, the wins or the objectives to show that — although he definitely has enough of those. You just need to see Messi at his most magical, as he was Wednesday, setting up a pair of game-changing objectives in a seven-minute span to elevate Argentina to a 2-1 win over England and into Sunday’s World Cup ultimate with Spain.

“It’s really hard to speak right now, but I’m going to try not to cry,” Lautaro Martínez, who scored the successful aim two minutes into stoppage time, said in Spanish. “I’m already overwhelmed inside. It’s incredible. Everything we’ve achieved is just incredible.”

Like their 13-game World Cup unbeaten streak, courting to the opening sport of the 2022 match in Qatar. Or back-to-back journeys to the ultimate, which supplies them a probability to turn into the first repeat champion in the lads’s match since Brazil in 1962.

But it hasn’t been simple. Eleven of Argentina’s 19 objectives — including both scores in Wednesday’s semifinal — have come after the seventy fifth minute. They trailed in the eightieth minute or later in two of their last three knockout video games, only to rally both instances.

And Messi has either scored or assisted on three of the 4 objectives that rescued Argentina.

“This group, in the face of adversity, keeps going, keeps going, and never gets tired,” Martínez said. “And we have the best in the world as our example.”

On Wednesday that meant heartache for England, which was as close to a World Cup ultimate as it has been in six a long time, main 1-0 on Anthony Gordon’s second-half aim with just 5 minutes left in regular time.

But after taking the lead, England turned unusually conservative, dropping all 11 gamers behind the ball at instances, daring Argentina to score. Eventually it did, with Enzo Fernández curling a right-footed shot from about 20 yards past England keeper Jordan Pickford and in at the left post to tie the sport.

It was a cross from Messi that discovered Fernández in space at the top of the box, incomes the Argentine captain his document eleventh World Cup help.

“The opponent doubted themselves,” Argentine coach Lionel Scaloni said. “We smelt blood and went for it. We all felt it. “

The tie didn’t last for long though, with Messi threading a perfect cross from the right wing to Martínez, who found space between English defenders John Stones and Ezri Konsa at the far post. Messi’s pass just cleared the leaping Stones, then dipped to Martínez, who nodded it home.

England’s Harry Kane and England’s Jude Bellingham are dejected after losing to Argentina during a World Cup semifinal on Wednesday in Atlanta.

(Jeff Roberson / Associated Press)

When the ball hit the net, the sellout crowd at Atlanta’s massive Mercedes-Benz Stadium erupted.

“Once again, despite falling behind, we managed to turn the game around in stoppage time. That speaks volumes about this group, about this team that never settles, always wants more, always strives for more,” Martínez said.

It also offers Messi a probability to attempt for more in Sunday’s ultimate. He has already performed in more World Cup video games, scored more World Cup objectives and had more World Cup assists than any man in historical past. With a win over Spain, he can be part of another elite group of males: those who have received back-to-back World Cup titles.

History will finally resolve if it was Messi’s brillance or the tactical give up of England coach Thomas Tuchel that actually turned the sport around. Tuchel, however, said he had no regrets.

“We played the matches how they were,” he said. “We overcame every obstacle. We were very, very close today. It’s not a moment now to analyze the full tournament because we lost a crucial match.”

His captain, Harry Kane, who misplaced in the semifinal of a World Cup for the second time in three match, was also not in second-guessing.

Argentina’s Lionel Messi sits on the shoulders of a teammate and celebrates after beating England in a World Cup semifinal on Wednesday in Atlanta.

(Rebecca Blackwell / Associated Press)

“We had a lot of good moments in this tournament, a lot of good games,” he said. “We talked about knocking on the door. We’re close, we just have to find that missing piece in the final stage of the tournament.”

They could also be nearer than they suppose: England is the only workforce this century to score the first aim in a World Cup semifinal but not attain the ultimate, according to the OptaJoe statistical service.

Argentina’s workforce, meanwhile, is lacking nothing — besides possibly a second title,

“The people of Argentina should celebrate being in a final,” Scaloni said. “This group of players is difficult to describe in words. They are so special. I’m getting emotional. They fight for everything.

“We’re going to try to win the final. But what else does this team need to do? There isn’t much else to say. I’m eternally grateful to this group of players.”

Sports editor Iliana Limón Romero contributed to this report.