When Argentina trailed England 1-0 going into the 85th minute of the World Cup semifinal, some critics probably thought they had their "gotcha" moment. Guess again. Lionel Messi just fired back at *all* the detractors, making it crystal clear: "Nothing was handed to us." That comeback win, and the sheer grit shown repeatedly, is Messi's blunt message to everyone questioning Argentina's championship pedigree.
The 'Favored' Narrative Just Got a Dose of Reality
For weeks, the noise has been deafening. Critics are out there blasting the reigning World Cup champions, whispering about beneficial officiating and a soccer establishment that just *loves* Argentina. We've heard all the talk: FIFA’s bracket supposedly favored La Albiceleste, and social media is swimming with unfounded allegations that the governing body *wants* Argentina to win again. Egypt’s coach Hossam Hassan went as far as to claim his team was a "victim" of this establishment favoring Messi and Argentina. Remember that game against Switzerland? It swung on a controversial call when Leandro Paredes got a yellow for a tackle on Breel Embolo. Video showed Embolo falling *before* contact, but with a previous yellow, Embolo was sent off, leaving Switzerland with 10 players. Swiss coach Murat Yakin called the rule "unacceptable" and said his boys didn't deserve to be eliminated that way. Even the Egyptian Football Association isn't staying silent, blasting what they believed was unfair and biased officiating. But Messi isn't having it. "We’ve been the best over these past four years, either you like it or not, and no matter what anyone says," he declared after the England win. His coach, Lionel Scaloni, previously told journalists to lay off the social media, but now the captain himself is stepping up.Comeback Kings Silence the Critics, Again
Here’s the thing about "favoritism": it doesn't usually come with being down 1-0 in the 85th minute of a World Cup semifinal and still winning 2-1. That’s pure heart. Tens of thousands flooded the streets of Buenos Aires in ecstatic celebration after that England victory, and why wouldn't they? This team *perseveres*. They’ve beaten Cape Verde and Switzerland in extra time already. And how about that improbable 3-2 victory over Egypt, where they were down 2-0 with just 11 minutes of regulation left? Messi says these aren't flukes. "Once again, we’ve established ourselves among the top two teams in the world. That proves that everything we’ve done is no fluke and that nothing was handed to us," he stated. Reaching two consecutive World Cup finals isn't just luck, it's a testament to their fire. Now, Argentina is staring down Spain in Sunday’s final, one win away from back-to-back titles. Can they shut down the critics for good and raise that trophy yet again? You know Messi and the squad are ready to prove it on the field.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.