”We didn’t give them that opportunity” – Messi fires back at English critics after semifinal triumph

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Lionel Messi has delivered a pointed response to his English detractors, making it clear that Argentina’s dramatic 2-1 World Cup semifinal victory over the Three Lions was as much a statement off the pitch as it was on it

Speaking in the mixed zone after the match, the 39-year-old captain addressed the barrage of pre-match criticism that had come from former England internationals and sections of the British media. While Messi refrained from naming names, his words carried an unmistakable edge—aimed squarely at those who had written off Argentina’s chances and questioned the credentials of his teammates.

“I think if we had lost today against England, some people would have come out and said a lot of nonsense, but we didn’t give them that opportunity,” Messi said, a faint smile crossing his face. “We played our game, we believed until the end, and we earned the right to be in another final. That’s the only response that matters.”

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A Week of Doubt and Disrespect

In the days leading up to the semifinal, a host of English pundits had queued up to voice their scepticism about Argentina’s defensive solidity, their midfield balance, and even Messi’s ability to deliver on the biggest stage one more time.

Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville had famously labelled the Romero-Lisandro Martínez centre-back partnership “the best-worst in the world,” predicting England would score at least twice. Joe Hart, another ex-England international, had criticised Argentina’s early tournament form, while Wayne Rooney and John Terry had similarly expressed confidence in England’s superiority. The British tabloids had splashed headlines questioning whether Messi’s “magic” had finally faded—and whether a younger, hungrier England side would run riot in Atlanta.

Messi, who has spent two decades being questioned only to repeatedly deliver, took note.

“I don’t read everything, but I hear enough,” he admitted. “When you are in a World Cup semifinal, you know there will be noise. Some of it is fair, some of it is just people trying to create drama. But we have a group here that doesn’t get distracted. We use it. We feed on it.”

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The Response on the Pitch

And what a response it was. Trailing 1-0 after England’s well-taken opener, Argentina looked rattled for a spell. But Messi, as he has done so many times before, took control in the final quarter-hour. Two sumptuous assists—one with his left foot, one with his right—turned the game on its head and sent Argentina to a second consecutive World Cup final.

It was a performance that prompted Zlatan Ibrahimovic to declare that England had witnessed both the “Left Foot of God” and the “Right Foot of God.” More significantly, it rendered every pre-match critique obsolete.

“Football is decided on the pitch, not in the studios,” Messi said. “We knew that if we stayed calm, if we kept moving the ball, the chances would come. England defended well for 70 minutes, but we never stopped believing. When the goals came, it was sweet—not just because of the result, but because we proved that talk is just talk.”

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A Subtle Dig at Neville and Co.

While Messi did not single out any individual, his reference to “nonsense” was widely interpreted as a riposte to Neville’s scathing assessment of Argentina’s defense. Romero and Martínez, who had been publicly mocked, produced a disciplined display that limited Harry Kane to zero touches inside the penalty area—a statistical indictment of England’s attacking threat.

Messi, however, chose not to escalate the war of words. Instead, he offered a broader reflection on the culture of criticism that surrounds modern football.

“Everyone has the right to an opinion, especially former players—they have earned that right,” he acknowledged. “But there is a difference between analysing and disrespecting. We never disrespect anyone. We go out, we compete, and we let the ball speak. Today, the ball spoke for us.”

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Looking Ahead to the Final

With the final against Spain now on the horizon, Messi made it clear that the victory over England was not a final destination but a stepping stone. “This is not the end—it’s the beginning of the last push,” he said. “We have one more game, the hardest one. But we have already shown that when we are doubted, we grow stronger. That is the spirit of this team.”

For England, the recriminations will linger. For Messi and Argentina, the sweetest revenge was not spoken—it was scored, twice, in the dying embers of a classic semifinal. And in the end, the “nonsense” that had been brewing was drowned out by the roar of celebration.

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