Thierry Henry Praised Messi's 'Unstoppable' Performance After England Loss

Thierry Henry was left stunned by Lionel Messi's performance during Argentina's 2-1 win against England.

What happened?

Lionel Messi was the star of the show in Argentina's World Cup win over England, with Thierry Henry praising his former teammate's 'unstoppable' display. Messi, 39, has been one of the standout players at this summer's World Cup and was at his brilliant best as he helped his nation come from behind to progress through to Sunday's showpiece final.

Why it matters for Thierry Henry

Thierry Henry, who was Messi's teammate at Barcelona, heaped praise on him post-match and said that England sent him into "beast" mode after going 1-0 up and scaring Argentina. "He reminded us he is human; he missed some penalties, four out of eight," Henry said on Fox Sports. "Then he reminds us again he's not human. I've played with him as you just mentioned. What happens with Leo, sometimes… don't wake up the beast."

What comes next?

Messi is now into his third World Cup final on Sunday against Spain and Henry hasn't ruled out the Inter Miami man from creating another piece of history and going all the way. "This is Hollywood stuff. It's almost like when you script that.. it's a movie which won't happen in real life, the director went a bit too far with that one, but Messi writes it," he added. "This guy writes history with his feet, though, not with his hands."

Before Messi stole the show, however, he was involved in an altercation with England's Jude Bellingham. Messi and Bellingham exchanged words after referee Ismail Elfath awarded a foul. The Real Madrid star looked clearly annoyed as he confronted Messi, but the Argentina captain brushed him off with a dismissive wave before turning away. Even as he walked, Messi kept glancing back at Bellingham, nodding as the exchange lingered.

Post-match, Bellingham played down the confrontation. "We were discussing a foul actually, but it was nothing bad at all. I'm sure everyone will do their thing and make it a big deal but no, it was nothing big really," he said. "I thought it was a foul earlier and he said 'what about the one on me?' and I was just saying, 'you're strong enough to take them.' It's a privilege to play against him, it was nothing like that against him. Obviously I'm on the losing side, it hurts a lot but it a privilege to play against one of the best."

Thierry Henry's praise for Messi's performance has sparked debate among football fans, with some hailing the Argentine as a genius and others questioning his tactics. One thing is certain, however: Messi's World Cup campaign has been nothing short of spectacular.

On 16 July 2026, Messi's two assists and a goal helped Argentina come from behind to progress to the final, leaving Thierry Henry and the rest of the football world in awe of his talent.

Thierry Henry's comments on Messi's performance have been widely reported, with many praising the former Barcelona teammate for his honesty and insight. "He's just unstoppable when he goes into that mood," Henry said. "When his team needs him, he raises his game, a guy who played 120 minutes the other day, gets the ball and tries to dribble past everybody… wow."

The World Cup final is set to take place on 18 July 2026, with Messi and Argentina facing off against Spain in a highly anticipated match. Will Thierry Henry's former teammate be able to create another piece of history and lift the trophy? Only time will tell.

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