Nick Wright Cites Divine Intervention for Argentina's World Cup Run
Newsweek · C · trust 34/100
0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. Argentina have been inevitable for five years, and since most of the players on the roster for the 2026 FIFA men's World Cup achieved immortality by winning the 2022 World Cup, they are on the cusp of achieving something even vaster than immortality. If that even exists.
Should Argentina beat Spain in the World Cup final this Sunday, La Albiceleste will do what no football team has ever done before: win four consecutive major tournaments. They previously won Copa America in 2021 and 2024 and could become the first team to repeat as men's World Cup champions since Brazil in 1958 and 1962.
Lionel Messi turned 39 during this tournament, but nobody informed him. He is the Golden Boot leader with eight goals and four assists this summer, and, more significantly, he has become the all-time leading World Cup goalscorer (21) and all-time leader in World Cup assists (12).
But Messi 's brilliance alone isn't enough to explain what's happening with the Argentines, who have not held a lead through 90 minutes in any of their four knockout stage matches but still managed to win them all. Nick Wright of FS1's "First Things First" can think of only one plausible explanation: divine intervention.
"Dan has become, in his older age, such a slave to stats and numbers, even after paying full tribute to the fact that this Argentinian team can’t be explained, except for they can be very easily explained," Wright said on " The Dan Le Batard Show " on Thursday. "They’re a very religious people, with a very religious team, and they believe one of their teammates is actually God. So they can reach down and touch something bigger. I don't know why anyone would pick against them against Spain."
Wright later added, "I don't really know what my actual religious beliefs are, so I don't know if I do or don't believe God is on Argentina's side. What I do know in my core is they believe he's on their side, and the other team thinks he [expletive] might be."
After Messi assisted two late Argentina goals to stun England in the semifinal, he was asked about God's plan for him in the final.
"I don't know," Messi said with a smile. "The truth is we can no longer ask for anything else, with everything we've lived through. Just playing another final is an amazing thing. God is great always has something more, but honestly, I can no longer ask God for more because I'm grateful for everything God has given me, whether in my sports career or in my personal life.
"And as I always say, as for the rest, it will be God's will. God knows."
La Roja of Spain will have a say, too. The reigning European champions have logged a record six clean sheets, only conceding one goal, at this World Cup. And on top of a brick-wall backline, Spain have an argument for the best midfield in the world. That's before mentioning 19-year-old wunderkind winger Lamine Yamal, who first met Messi as a 5-month-old baby in 2007 and now has a chance to deny him the ultimate glory. Yeah, this World Cup final is not of this earth.
Read the original at Newsweek →
Open in TruthVane →