Lionel Messi entered Argentina's 2022 World Cup semi-final against Croatia standing one game away from immortality. The Paris Saint-Germain star had long since joined Pele, Diego Maradona and Cristiano Ronaldo at football's top table, but victory in Qatar could settle the GOAT debate forever. The one major trophy missing from his collection was the World Cup, the prize lifted by Ronaldo, Franz Beckenbauer and Zinedine Zidane. Messi had reached the final once before, in 2014, only to suffer a gut-wrenching defeat to Germany. In Qatar, the Argentine wizard summoned the magic to go again.

The semi-final at the Lusail Iconic Stadium became a Messi masterclass. Argentina beat Croatia 3-0, with Messi both finding the back of the net and turning provider for Julian Alvarez. There were real concerns that Argentina could stumble with the final in their grasp, suffering the same fate as Brazil. Yet Messi ensured that could not have been further from the case. His performance was not merely decisive; it was the clearest statement that the tournament's biggest stage belonged to him.

At full-time, the scenes underlined how much another shot at World Cup glory meant. Just as Messi had been overcome with emotion after the penalty shootout win over the Netherlands earlier in the tournament, the Argentina captain could not hide his joy when the final whistle confirmed another semi-final victory. The difference was striking. Against the Netherlands, the release had been explosive and untamed. Against Croatia, it was quieter: Cheshire Cat-like smiles, pure giddiness, a serene sense of relief.

Television cameras tracked every millimetre of his facial expressions. The so-called Messi cam showed something almost more emotive than tears. There was something about the muted, reserved happiness that felt transcendent. The smile was authentic. For a player who had carried the weight of a nation for nearly two decades, the calmness spoke for itself.

The win sent Argentina to the final on Sunday, December 18, 2022. The South American nation had been triumphant in the 1978 and 1986 finals, but had come up short against Uruguay in 1930 and suffered defeats to Germany in 1990 and 2014. Messi was looking to improve that record to three wins from six attempts.

Argentina eventually did improve that record. In the 2022 final, Messi scored twice and Argentina beat France 4-2 on penalties after a 3-3 draw. It was the crowning moment that had eluded him for so long. He also won the Golden Ball for a second time, a feat never previously achieved. The victory in Qatar did not merely add a trophy; it altered the terms of the GOAT debate.

By 2026, the football world is looking ahead to the next World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Messi's career has moved on to Inter Miami, and Argentina have continued to compete at the top. Yet the 2022 semi-final remains a defining chapter. It was the night the captain's dream stayed alive, and the night the smile told the whole story.

Why did that semi-final matter so much?

• It produced a goal and an assist from Messi.

• It avoided the kind of upset that had undone Brazil.

• It delivered a place in the final without the trauma of a shootout.

• It gave Messi a chance to settle the greatest debate in football.

• It created an image — the smile — that became as iconic as any trophy lift.

Some moments in sport feel spiritual. The release and calmness of Messi at full-time against Croatia was one of them. It was not the thumping of the pitch in floods of tears. It was something softer and, in its own way, more powerful. In 2026, that image still resonates. For many fans, the debate is over. Lionel Messi is immortal. 🐐⚽