Following Argentina's dramatic 2-1 victory over England in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final, Dallas Cowboys legend Dez Bryant took to social media to offer high praise for Lionel Messi. The former wide receiver drew a striking parallel between the Argentine captain and late NBA icon Kobe Bryant, highlighting their shared ability to seize control during the most critical moments of a game.
Writing on X, Bryant remarked that Messi's recent displays against Egypt and England reminded him of Kobe Bryant's legendary career. He noted that in the final two to four minutes, a switch flips for players of that caliber, describing it as "takeover time" and calling Messi the "GOAT."
Argentina's win on Wednesday saw them battle back from a 1-0 deficit after Anthony Gordon opened the scoring for England. Messi proved instrumental in the turnaround, setting up crucial goals for Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez with less than 10 minutes remaining in regulation time. This performance mirrored his impact in Argentina's 3-2 victory against Egypt earlier in the tournament, where he scored and assisted in the final 15 minutes to overturn a 2-0 deficit.
The thrilling finish captured the attention of the NFL community. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes reacted to the match with a series of emojis on X, while New England Patriots icon Tom Brady shared his astonishment, writing "Oh my god" alongside a mind-blown emoji. Having secured their spot in the final for the second consecutive time, Argentina is now set to face Spain at MetLife Stadium this coming Sunday.
