Messi rolls back the years in Atlanta with two assists to emulate Maradona | OneFootball

At 39, Lionel Messi orchestrated Argentina's comeback to eliminate England at the World Cup in Atlanta, setting up two goals in a 10-minute burst.

As El Periódico Mediterráneo notes, the night inevitably echoed Diego Maradona in 1986 after the Falklands War, and it ended with the same scoreline, then through two Diego goals, now via two Messi assists.

Messi endured a bruising first half as Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon and Djed Spence pressed him relentlessly. Argentina aimed to unsettle England with a rugged approach, a rhythm that did not suit the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, yet he fought as hard as anyone. It was the first England match of his entire career.

After the interval Messi loosened up and Argentina began to grow. Gordon then put England ahead, they sat deep and surrendered the ball, and the Rosario native took command. Given the space left by Tuchel's set-up, he looked the freshest player on the pitch despite his workload at this World Cup.

He drew three defenders before releasing Enzo to drill in from the edge for the equaliser. Then, recalling his days as a flying winger, he beat his man and delivered a right-footed cross for Lautaro to score unmarked.

Maradona struck twice to defeat England in 1986, Messi supplied the two passes to turn a tie that had looked bleak. He was already a footballing immortal, this performance lifts him to rarer heights.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo