For many, the GOAT debate in soccer ended in December 2022 when Lionel Messi lifted the World Cup. Four years later, at 39 years old, the Argentine has led his team to yet another World Cup final. Still, the tournament was rife with his performances being compared to those of Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappe. For Stephen A. Smith, the current standings make things clearer than ever.
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“The superstar that he is, the one and only Messi. I mean, he didn’t score, but he assisted on both goals, and I’m telling you right now what an assist that was… I just know greatness when I see it. You want to compare him to Cristiano Ronaldo. Go ahead and do it. You want to sit up there and say he’s the best, or Ronaldo’s the best, or Mbappé is the best. Go ahead and do it. I’m just telling you right now. Messi’s still standing. France is home. Portugal is home. Those two fellas I mentioned? They’re home. Messi’s still playing,” Smith shared via X.
Portugal got eliminated in the round of 16, while France went out in the semifinals. The reigning champion, Argentina, is again in the final under Messi’s captaincy. So, despite the comparisons about their greatness, Mbappe and Ronaldo couldn’t take their teams to the finals this time, while 39-year-old Messi is still the difference-maker for the Albiceleste.
Messi is currently tied with Kylian Mbappé for the tournament lead in scoring, with both players having 8 goals and 3 assists. Messi still has the final match to get over Mbappé and finish the tournament as the leading goal scorer. And Mbappe still has the loser’s final against England to improve his own goal tally.
Apart from netting the ball, Smith is in awe of how Messi assists and creates opportunities for goals. The game against England was the latest evidence.
Against England in the semifinal, he provided two crucial assists during Argentina’s 2-1 comeback victory. Trailing 1-0 after 80 minutes, Messi orchestrated the turnaround by setting up Enzo Fernández’s equalizer in the 85th minute and delivering a pinpoint cross for Lautaro Martínez’s stoppage-time winner. So, just when all the major contenders are home by now, Argentina’s skipper is looking dominant as ever, and that, for Smith, proves his greatness.
All signs point to the 2026 World Cup being Lionel Messi’s last dance, ‘El Último Tango,’ as fans are putting it. Ronaldo already announced that this was his last World Cup. And fans may have only one game left to witness Messi’s magic on the biggest stage of international soccer.
