Messi Rejects Favouritism Claims, Says Argentina Earned World Cup Final Spot

Lionel Messi has dismissed claims that Argentina benefited from favourable officiating during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting the reigning champions deserved their place in the final through resilience and consistent performances.

The Argentina captain made the remarks after his side came from behind to defeat England 2-1 in Wednesday’s semi-final, booking a place in Sunday’s final against Spain.

Argentina, who trailed 1-0 until the 85th minute, staged another dramatic comeback to continue a tournament marked by determined performances. The South Americans also survived extra-time encounters against Cape Verde and Switzerland, while overturning a two-goal deficit late on to defeat Egypt 3-2.

Despite their impressive run, Argentina have faced criticism from some fans and opponents, with Egypt coach Hossam Hassan and members of Switzerland’s coaching staff questioning several refereeing decisions. Social media has also been awash with unsubstantiated claims that FIFA favoured Argentina’s route to the final.

Responding to the allegations, Messi insisted Argentina’s achievements were the result of hard work, quality and consistency rather than preferential treatment.”We’ve been the best over these past four years, whether people like it or not,” Messi said.

“We’ve shown again that we belong among the top two teams in the world. That proves everything we’ve achieved is no fluke, and that nothing was handed to us.”