Argentina's recent victory over England is linked by a historical thread that evokes memories of the Mexico World Cup 40 years ago; both generations share the same passion and attachment to the legendary number 10 jersey.

As soon as Argentina's qualification for the 2026 World Cup final was announced from Atlanta Stadium, Lionel Messi caught the eye with a celebration that recalled the historic celebration of the late legend Diego Maradona against England in the 1986 World Cup; while Maradona celebrated in the locker room bare-chested, Messi chose to send a direct message from the pitch in front of thousands of fans in the stands, raising his hands to point to his teammates, emphasizing that the victory was not individual but a collective effort, before joining the crowd in their famous chant 'All together, all of us.'

Thousands of fans in the stands chanted after this historic qualification for the final, saying: 'Hand in hand with Lionel Messi, we will all go on a victory tour.'

In this match, the features of the Argentine football identity born on simple sand pitches were clearly visible; the number 10 jersey remains the primary inspiration for the players.

Although Messi did not score against England or dribble past half the team in the manner of Maradona, he led the national team with the same pride and high fighting spirit.

The first half was difficult for Messi due to tight marking and strong English pressure, especially from player Elliott Anderson, which caused him to lose some balls and endure strong tackles. This difficult situation continued until England took the lead, prompting a uprising from coach Lionel Scaloni's men, who showed strong character to turn the situation around.

With increased attacking pressure and the entry of Lautaro Martínez to play alongside Julián Álvarez, Messi found enough space on the right flank to create two decisive goals; the first came from a clever pass to Enzo Fernández, who shot accurately amid a crowd of defenders, while the second came from a brilliant moment when he skillfully passed the ball to Martínez, who broke through the defense of England coach Thomas Tuchel and put it into the net of goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, who until that moment had seemed an impenetrable wall.

This attacking performance recalled an old statement by Maradona before facing England in the past, when he said: 'We play football on the ground, we maintain possession, that is always our way, and we cannot change our style just because we are facing England.' That is exactly what Messi and his teammates executed in the second half; they imposed their attacking style and forced the English to retreat completely.

With the opponent retreating, the Argentine players showed their high individual skills in passing and dribbling inside the penalty area to constantly threaten the goal. After equalizing, it became clear that the team had regained the strong spirit they showed in the Qatar World Cup final against France and against Brazil in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

This spirit is the innate instinct that the Argentine player grows up with from childhood, which Martínez expressed after the match, saying: 'Since my father bought me my first shoes, I have dreamed of scoring this goal.'

After the match, coach Scaloni said with tears in his eyes: 'We are unique, this is not arrogance but comes from the heart.'

After the final whistle, Messi celebrated for a long time with his teammates, refusing to let the praise be directed solely at him, then sat on the grass enjoying the moment.

At the age of 39, Messi is preparing to play in the World Cup final for the third time in his career, after losing the 2014 final and winning the 2022 title.

Lionel Messi expressed his happiness, saying in statements carried by the official website of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA): 'Playing in the World Cup final two consecutive editions is crazy. This team is incredible, and despite the difficulty of today's match, we continued to fight in our own style, and we are very happy with this achievement.'

Argentina is now preparing to play the final match on Sunday against Spain in New Jersey, a very special encounter for Messi given the start of his long career there through the door of Barcelona.

Whatever the result of the anticipated match, Argentina has once again proven that its strength lies in that inherited passion that links Maradona to Messi, which always begins with the dream of a small child running after the ball, hoping to wear the number 10 jersey.