Lionel Messi stated that England "didn't want it anymore" following Argentina's late comeback victory to advance to the World Cup final. Argentina secured a 2-1 win after Enzo Fernandez scored an equalizer in the 85th minute, followed by Lautaro Martinez's goal in the 92nd minute.
"We felt a lot of emotion, and when we were drawing, we needed the support of the fans, because we saw that we could win it in 90 minutes," Messi said after the match. "And we felt they didn't want it anymore and we just kept coming, that's why after the 1-1, the crowd helped us again once more, and as I said, we are happy because it was a close match."
The Argentine captain's comments came after a match where England's manager, Thomas Tuchel, faced criticism for his tactical decisions. Tuchel made several defensive substitutions after England took a 1-0 lead in the 55th minute, which critics argued stifled the team's attacking potential. Former England players, including Iker Casillas and Chris Sutton, described the tactical choices as a "coaching catastrophe" and "cowardly," respectively. Gary Neville suggested that captain Harry Kane should have been substituted instead of replaced by more attacking options.
Tuchel, however, defended his strategy, stating he had "no regrets" and that England played their "best game" of the tournament. "For me, he's made substitutions that are not attacking, they're defending," commented Ian Wright on the tactical approach.
Messi was also involved in a heated exchange with England's Jude Bellingham during the match. The interaction occurred after a foul, with video capturing a charged conversation between the two players. Messi was later seen making a gesture seemingly in disagreement with Bellingham as the England player walked away.
Additionally, members of the Argentina squad, including Messi, were seen celebrating with a banner supporting Argentina's claim to the Falkland Islands. FIFA has not yet commented, but the governing body is under pressure to address the display, which could violate rules. This incident echoes a similar event twelve years prior, which resulted in a £20,000 fine for the team. Calls are increasing for stronger sanctions against the players involved in displaying the banner during this high-profile match.