The parallels between Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi at the FIFA World Cup have grown even more remarkable following Argentina’s defeat in the 2026 final.
Softfootball gathered Maradona led Argentina to World Cup glory in 1986 before returning to the final four years later, where La Albiceleste were beaten 1-0 by Germany in the 1990 final.
Messi followed a strikingly similar path. After guiding Argentina to World Cup triumph in 2022, he returned four years later and captained his nation to another final, only to suffer a 1-0 defeat to European champions Spain in 2026.
Spain’s victory completed a historic campaign, with La Roja claiming the World Cup while also sweeping the tournament’s major individual honours.
While the opponents differed, the similarities between Maradona’s and Messi’s World Cup journeys are difficult to ignore both legends won their first World Cup before reaching the next final four years later and narrowly losing 1-0 to a European nation.
Football history has a way of repeating itself, and the careers of Argentina’s two greatest icons continue to share extraordinary parallels.
