Former Chelsea and England captain John Terry has hailed Lionel Messi as the greatest player he has ever seen after the Argentina captain inspired his side to a 2-1 comeback victory over England in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final.
According to Metro, the 39-year-old Messi provided assists for both Argentine goals to send the defending champions into the final against Spain.
Reacting on Instagram, Terry described Messi’s performance as “incredible” and said physical defending only brings out the best in the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.
“Watching this man yesterday at 39 was incredible. The best ever and still doing it at the very top… You can’t stop Messi and being physical with him makes him better. So strong and loves the fight, this man has everything,” Terry wrote.
Before the semi-final, Terry had warned England not to focus solely on Messi, noting that Argentina possessed several experienced players capable of deciding matches. He also said Messi’s movement and ability to find space make him exceptionally difficult to defend.
Messi’s display strengthened his bid for the tournament’s individual awards as Argentina prepare to face Spain in the World Cup final, with the champions aiming to retain their title.
