Messi led Argentina to the final of the 2026 World Cup after defeating England 2-1, and assisted the return goals in the final minutes, raising his record tally in the World Cup to 12 assists in addition to 21 goals, after scoring eight goals in the current edition.
He also played all four minutes of the playoff matches, but relied on managing his effort and waiting for decisive moments rather than sustained physical dominance.
Mathematically, Messi has the strongest argument
At the level of the entire career, it is difficult to build a numerical argument against Messi: continuity of nearly two decades at the top, unprecedented individual numbers, tremendous success with clubs, and leading Argentina to the 2022 title and then a second successive final in 2026 and a third in his career.
If Argentina wins over Spain, Messi will become a two-time world champion and will lead his country to retain the title for the first time since Brazil’s victory in 1962. This will likely tip the balance in his favor among a wider sector of analysts when asking: Who is the greatest Argentine player?
Before the tournament, football writer and analyst Jonathan Wilson raised the possibility that the second title would be the moment in which Messi finally emerges from Maradona’s shadow, because the old argument against the former Barcelona star was based mainly on the fact that he did not achieve for his country what Maradona achieved in 1986. The Qatar 2022 title dropped a large part of this argument, while the second title may put an end to what remains of it mathematically.
Maradona’s World Cup is still stubborn
The strongest argument for Maradona supporters is not the length of his career or the number of championships, but rather the nature of dominance in the 1986 World Cup.
Maradona scored 5 goals and made five others. He participated directly in 71 percent of Argentina’s goals, and led them in memorable matches against England, Belgium, and West Germany. International Federation data describe his presentation as one of the most dominant individual performances in the history of the tournament.
Messi leads a more integrated and organized team, which includes players capable of deciding matches without him. As for the image of Maradona in 1986, he became established as the player who carried an entire team to the title, whether this image was completely accurate or gained some exaggeration over time.
This is why some stars and analysts believe that winning a second cup does not automatically resolve the comparison. Former English striker Ian Wright said that Messi being crowned again will not necessarily make him ahead of Maradona, because the ruling is related to the method of influence, not just the number of titles.
Maradona was not just a player for the Argentines; He was a son of the slums, a rebel against institutions, a political voice, a symbol of the city of Naples and southern Italy, and a hero whose goals against England were linked to the memory of the Falklands War.
As for Messi, he built his legend in a different way: quiet genius, long professionalism, and continuity that is difficult to imagine. He did not receive full Argentine love until recent years, especially after the Copa America and the Qatar World Cup.
Maradona’s symbolic power is still evident even in the 2026 World Cup. Argentina played against England under a heavy presence of his memory and slogans, while Messi described qualifying for the final as a tribute to Maradona.
Commentator and former Australian player Craig Foster, for example, believes that he prefers Maradona because of his social and political presence and his willingness to express his positions, which is a completely different criterion from skill and titles.
Final ruling
Yes, Messi can surpass Maradona as the greatest Argentine player in history, and many actually see him ahead. If he wins a second World Cup at the age of 39, his sporting argument will be almost complete: two titles, three finals, records, and a continuity that no other player has known.
But it is difficult to “cancel” the legend of Maradona, because Maradona does not live in memory only with goals and trophies, but with story, rebellion, tragedy, and popular identity.
Messi can become the greatest player Argentina has produced, while Maradona remains its most burning legend.
