Leo Messi will once again play in a World Cup final. The former Barça player and current Inter Miami forward will face Argentina in his second consecutive title match after fulfilling the greatest dream of his career in Qatar 2022: becoming world champion.
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At 39 years old, the Argentine captain continues to be one of the main references of his national team. However, before facing Spain, the discussion is not only about his performance on the field. A post on his social media has particularly caught the attention of fans.
Messi has practically repeated the exact routine he followed four years earlier, when Argentina qualified for the Qatar World Cup final. The message is the same and the context very similar: a victory in the semifinals, qualification for the decisive match, and the possibility of lifting the World Cup again.
Messi posts the same message as before the Qatar final
After eliminating England in the 2026 World Cup semifinals, Leo Messi shared a celebratory message on his official profiles: “TO THE FINAL!!!!! We found the strength again to play another great match. Thank you very much to everyone who trusted this group!!! 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻 Let’s go Argentina damn it!!!! #AllTogether”.
The post quickly sparked curiosity among Argentine followers. Many users reviewed the footballer’s old messages and discovered that Messi had used exactly the same words four years earlier, after Argentina qualified for the Qatar 2022 World Cup final.
The coincidence did not go unnoticed. Within hours, comparisons between both posts began circulating on social media, where many fans interpreted the gesture as a new superstition of Messi.
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Messi’s superstition before playing against Spain
The Argentine forward has never hidden the importance he gives to certain routines before matches. In elite football, many players repeat gestures, routes, songs, or habits when they believe they have brought them luck in previous occasions.
On this occasion, Messi’s superstition has appeared on social media. The Argentine has retrieved the message that accompanied the path to the greatest success of his career and has posted it again before facing Spain in the World Cup final.
Four years ago, that routine ended with Argentina being crowned champion after defeating France in one of the most thrilling finals in the history of the competition.
Now, Leo Messi hopes that repeating the message will have the same result. The only difference is that the opponent will be Spain, the team seeking to win the second World Cup in its history.
Fans discovered the coincidence
It was the social media users themselves who realized that Leo Messi had repeated the message posted after the Qatar 2022 semifinals.
Captures of both posts began to be shared quickly. The text, the capital letters, the exclamation marks, the emojis, and the final slogan matched, reinforcing the theory that it was not a casual choice.
For many Argentine followers, the gesture has become a positive sign. The original post preceded the victory against France and Messi’s first World Cup with the senior national team.
Other fans consider it simply a formula used by the captain to thank the support received and highlight the group’s effort. In any case, the repetition has added another ingredient to a final full of stories and symbolism.
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The routine that ended with Messi as world champion
In Qatar 2022, Argentina overcame Croatia in the semifinals and reached the final against France. After that qualification, Messi posted the message he has now retrieved before facing Spain.
The Argentine team ended up beating the French side in the penalty shootout after a spectacular match. Messi thus lifted the only major trophy he was missing and ended years of painful defeats with his country.
That title completed his international consecration after winning the 2021 Copa América and before expanding his trophy cabinet with Argentina.
The post he made after the semifinal has since been associated with the night he became world champion. That is why his decision to repeat it four years later has been interpreted by many as a true superstition.
Leo Messi challenges time again
Messi’s presence in another World Cup final also has a historical component. The forward will arrive at the match against Spain at 39 years old and with more than two decades competing at the highest level.
When he lifted the title in Qatar, it seemed he had reached the perfect ending for his international career. However, four years later he continues to lead Argentina and is once again one match away from winning the World Cup.
His continuity has allowed the Argentine team to keep the great reference of the champion generation. Although his role has changed over time, Messi retains the ability to decide matches and influence opposing defenses.
The final against Spain will also be a match full of personal ties. Messi spent most of his career at Barça, knows Spanish football deeply, and will face a team featuring several players trained at the blaugrana club.
Also read
Spain wants to break Messi’s superstition
The Spanish team will arrive at the final aiming to prevent Messi’s superstition from working again.
Spain is seeking its second World Cup title, 16 years after winning South Africa 2010. The new generation has managed to bring the team back to the decisive match and will face the reigning world champion.
For Argentina, the final represents the chance to link two consecutive titles and consolidate a historic era. For Messi, it is another opportunity to enlarge a career that seemed impossible to improve after Qatar.
The superstition is already underway. Leo Messi has repeated the same message, Argentina is back in the final, and social media have revived the memory of 2022.
Now it remains to be seen if the routine that made him world champion will work again against Spain.
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