Messi Surpasses Maradona in Argentine Football Pantheon
After decades of living in Diego Maradona's shadow, Lionel Messi has firmly established himself as Argentina's preeminent football icon. The transformation was crystallized by Argentina's 2-1 semi-final victory over England at the 2026 World Cup, a match that showcased a revitalized team relying on excellent football rather than controversy. According to philosopher and football analyst Tomás Abraham, 'For English football, this is more painful than the Hand of God.' He added that England's defeat by a superior team they were keen to beat deepened the wound.
From Maradona's Shadow to Unanimous Affection
For years, many Argentinians looked down on Messi, clinging to the Maradona myth. Messi couldn't be Messi; he had to be Maradona. However, Messi's greatest triumph is that he has ceased to be viewed through the prism of Maradona and earned the recognition and unanimous affection of his people. Maradona was more than a footballer; he was the essence of a certain Argentinidad—brilliant, haughty, and convinced of Argentina's destiny as a superpower. Messi, in contrast, shaped a different kind of Argentine football identity, with a more reserved personality and limited vocabulary that has improved in recent years.
Maradona's Death and the Shift in Public Sentiment
The inquest into Maradona's death on 25 November 2020 did not generate sustained public interest, as if Argentinians preferred to subtly turn the page. Embracing Messi became a way to move forward. After the victory over England, Messi said, 'I'm sure Diego is enjoying this immensely from up above. Let him enjoy it, because it's a gift for him too.' Mariano Israelit, one of Maradona's closest friends, stated, 'Diego was the greatest of all ... up to a point. But Messi has now surpassed him; what Messi has achieved is unsurpassable.'
Argentina's Team Evolution and Final Prospects
Carlos Mac Allister, who played alongside Maradona and is father of Alexis Mac Allister, noted the team's improvement: 'I see an Argentina team that had been playing at 60% of its capacity, but which played at 90% against England. Against Spain, it will need to play at 100%.' He emphasized that Argentina dominated England and are no longer just Messi. Uruguayan journalist Emiliano Hernández Pereyra remarked, 'These lads have everything I want for my country ... It's an extraordinary team; they've got a certain something that no other team has.'
Historical Context: The Hand of God and 1966
Israelit criticized English complaints about the Hand of God by referencing the 1966 World Cup final: 'An Englishman has no right whatsoever to say that Maradona scored with his hand or that he cheated, because the only tournament they ever won, they won with a goal that wasn't a goal.' Columnist Héctor Gambini noted in Clarín that none of the players in the 2026 semi-final were born when Maradona scored his immortal goals, goals that VAR would have disallowed. The Hand of God is now a museum piece, consigned to football prehistory.
