Messi and Scaloni share emotional embrace after Argentina reach final
Telemundo showed Lionel Messi embracing Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni after the team beat England to reach the 2026 World Cup final.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
2 min read
Lionel Messi went straight into celebration mode after Argentina beat England and booked a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, according to Telemundo’s coverage.
The network’s video showed Argentina’s No. 10 moving across the pitch after the final whistle, greeting teammates and members of the coaching staff as the squad soaked in another trip to the sport’s biggest match.
The moment Telemundo singled out came when Messi and head coach Lionel Scaloni met in a long, emotional embrace. The network framed the scene as a symbol of Argentina’s chase for a fourth star, with captain and coach sharing the spotlight after another tense World Cup night.
Argentina’s win over England was described across Telemundo’s World Cup programming as a comeback, with one segment saying the national team had “survived” England and that Messi would play another World Cup final.
Argentina’s celebration, England’s pain
Telemundo’s surrounding match coverage showed the two sides of the result: Argentina celebrating a place in the final, and England dealing with a painful elimination.
England manager Thomas Tuchel, in a Telemundo clip after the defeat, said Argentina had played with more risk and called the result deserved. In another Telemundo segment, Tuchel said he was disappointed, adding that England had been very close but became too passive.
Harry Kane’s reaction was also featured by Telemundo, with the England captain saying he was “destrozado,” or devastated, after the loss.
On the Argentine side, Scaloni was shown celebrating the qualification and saying, “Somos únicos,” or “We are unique,” in Telemundo’s coverage. Lautaro Martínez also appeared emotional in a separate clip, saying he had always dreamed of scoring that goal.
The fourth-star chase rolls on
The final berth keeps Argentina’s bid alive for another World Cup title, referred to in Telemundo’s coverage as the dream of a fourth star.
Telemundo’s World Cup lineup also pointed toward Spain as a major part of the final conversation. In one program, Gabriel Batistuta said Spain arrived in good shape because it had beaten France, while describing Argentina’s run as epic.
Scaloni, in another Telemundo clip, said he hoped Spaniards were happy that Argentina had reached the final because of Messi.
For Argentina, the image that lingered from Telemundo’s post-match coverage was not only the result. It was Messi, after one more World Cup step, wrapping Scaloni in an embrace as the team moved within one match of the fourth star.
This story draws on original reporting from TELEMUNDO.com.