Patrick Mahomes called Lionel Messi the GOAT after the Argentina legend produced two late assists to break England's hearts and defeat them 2-1 in the World Cup semifinal
20:06 ET, 15 Jul 2026
Patrick Mahomes poses with the 2026 World Cup match ball
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Patrick Mahomes made his pick regarding the debate between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo after watching the World Cup
As a three-time NFL Super Bowl champion and two-time league MVP, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes knows a thing or two about how hard it is to win consistently and how to spot greatness.
After Lionel Messi led Argentina to another World Cup final, Mahomes repeated what a portion of divided fans have said for years, as the debate over who is better between the Argentina star and Cristiano Ronaldo resurfaced.
Messi led Argentina back from a 1-0 deficit to beat England 2-1 and reach the World Cup final. Mahomes reacted on social media, first posting 'Wow? and six mind-blown emojis as Argentina's turnaround began.
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Meanwhile, La Albiceleste added to England's frustration by displaying a political banner indirectly referencing their past war.
When Messi put up his second assist, Mahomes shared a meme on X that stated, "That's why they call him the GOAT. The GOAT." To hammer his point home, the Chiefs star then shared three GOAT emojis in celebration of his fellow Adidas signature athlete after the final whistle.
Ronaldo and Portugal went out of the World Cup after a 1-0 loss to Spain in the Round of 16. CR7 finished his last World Cup with three goals, extended his record as the all-time international top scorer, and became the first player to score in six World Cups.
Messi called for an early free-kick after Elliot Anderson took the ball, then went down again after a challenge in the 16th minute. Both teams traded fouls in a tense opening.
Patrick Mahomes tweets about Lionel Messi
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Mahomes touted Messi as soccer's GOAT
Tensions rose in the 37th minute when Messi beat Djed Spence and Harry Kane, only for Anderson to bring him down. Anderson received a booking as nearly every Argentina player surrounded the referee, despite FIFA rules against it.
England scored first with Anthony Gordon in the 55th minute to put Argentina at risk of elimination late in the game.
Messi woke up in the 85th minute to set up Enzo Fernandez, who curled a shot from 25 yards into the bottom-left corner.
Lionel Messi thanks supporters after Argentina's semifinal World Cup win
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Argentina defeated England 2-1(Image: Getty Images)
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La Albiceleste continued their dominance, and in the 92nd minute, Messi's cross found Lautaro Martinez, who scored the winner to break England's hearts. Replays checked for offside, but Messi timed his run and added another late World Cup assist. The Argentina captain has now scored or assisted in 11 straight World Cup games for the longest streak since 1966.
Messi is now just the second player with 10 or more goal contributions in more than one World Cup, joining only Kylian Mbappe. Argentina faces Spain in the final, and France and England will play for third place.
Messi collected his fifth Man of the Match award of the tournament. All but one came in the knockout rounds, with the other in a group-stage win over Algeria.