Rise of a Football God

(GROUP D:)

(Argentina vs Norway)

(Venue: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, USA)

(Date: June 24th, 2026)

(Time: 15:00)

An hour before time, the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in USA was filled to the brim with tens of thousands of fans.

There were so many reasons to not mix this game.

Not only was Lionel Messi, the greatest player of all time going to take to the pitch, but Erling Haaland, one of the brightest stars of the new football generation would also be strutting his stuff on the pitch.

The hype behind the game was crazy.

Official lineups were released an hour and 30 minutes before the game. And like expected, both nations lined up with their best starting XI.

Argentina started in a 4-3-3 formation, Emiliano Martinez starting in between the posts, while ahead of him in defense was the power quadruple of Nahuel Molina, Christian Romero, Nicolas Otamendi, and Marcus Acuna.

In midfield was the trio of Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, and Enzo Fernandez, while further ahead in attack was a front trio of Julian Alvarez down the right, Lautaro Martinez down the middle as the striker, and Thiago Almada in left wing.

Lionel Messi started on the bench, but he was eager and raring to go.

As for Norway, they started in a 4-3-3 formation with Nyland starting in between the posts as the goalkeeper. Ahead of the goalkeeper was the quadruple of Ryerson, Ajer, Heggem, and Wolfe in defense.

The midfield trio comprised Martin Odegaard on the right side, Berge on the middle, and Thorsby on the right.

Alexander Sorloth started in right wing, Erling Haaland leading the line through the middle as the striker, and Nusa in left wing.

Compared to the Argentinian national football team, the Norway team was not as stacked and star-studded but with the likes of Alexander Sorloth, Erling Haaland, and Martin Odegaard starting for the Vikings of Norway, there was no cap to what they could do on a football pitch.

The fans, they came expecting a spark.

They witnessed a miracle.

The Mercedez Benz Stadium was deafening, buzzing with the songs of Argentine fans and the rumble of Norwegian anticipation.

It was Matchday 3, and the stakes were higher than ever before. Due to how good Norway was playing this World Cup, Argentina needed at least a draw to confirm top spot. Norway needed a win to survive.

Not just that, but the stakes were high due to how much Norway taunted and riled up Argentina with their comments before the media.

Lionel Messi was on the bench. The headlines already wrote themselves.

And then…

FWEEE!

The game started.

The first half could be described in a few words… the Norwegian Surge.

Argentina played good, controlling the game, but Norway struck early, and it was Alexander Sorloth who broke the deadlock as early as the 12th minute.

The striker turned winger received the ball in the right, cut in, before unleashing a left-footed curler past Dibu Martinez.

Cold. Ruthless. Norway stunned the Albiceleste early.

But like the media said, it was a game of aura for aura, the old vs the new.

Argentina responded with just as much ferocity, they replied like champions 10 minutes later as Julian Alvarez struck in the 22nd minute of the game to bring the game back level.

Mac Allister found De Paul with a quick pass between the lines. De Paul slipped Alvarez through, and the Atletico Madrid man buried it with a neat finish under Nyland.

The strikers turned wingers were stealing the show.

But Norway was not done.

In the 41st minute of the game, the Vikings of Norway struck again, and this time it was Martin Odegaard, the Arsenal skipper.

After a period of Argentine pressure, Norway countered. Berge to Nusa, a darting run, and a cutback found Odegaard free just ouside the box.

One shimmy, one strike, top corner. Martinez had no chance.

41 minutes, 1-2 to Norway.

The first half came to an end with Norway still leading.

Argentina dominated in most parameters of the game in the first half, but Norway got the goals, and hence their lead.

But Argentina was not out yet.

As the second half began, tension rippled through the crowd. Cameras panned to the bench, where Messi stood up, stretching, strapping his boots.

The crowd immediately erupted in cheers.

And then, in the 53rd minute of the game, Lionel Messi entered the field. The decibel level in the stadium more than doubled.

But before his magic could settle in…

BAM!

Norway struck again, and this time it was Erling Haaland in the 56th minute.

Absolute heartbreak.

Acuna misjudged a pass, and Thorsby sent a long ball over the top. Haaland shrugged off Otamendi like a paper doll, reminding him of his age and then he blasted it home off the bar.

It was an absolute banger.

56 minutes, 1-3 to Norway.

The stadium froze.

And then, it happened.

Provoked already before the game through the media, and further provoked through the events happening on the pitch, like a supernova, Messi exploded.

He erupted first in the 61st minute, scoring a piledriver from range.

Messi received the ball from Enzo Fernandez, 30 yards out. He drifted past Thorsby, dropped Berge with a feint, and unleashed a vintage left-footed rocket into the top left. Argentina roared back.

But Messi was not done yet.

In the 71st minute, he pulled another moment of magic from his box of magic tricks.

Like a conductor guiding his orchestra, Messi picked up the ball in midfield, paused, then threaded an impossible pass between four defenders.

Alvarez didn't hesitate.

BAM!

3-3!

And just like that, Argentina was back in the game.

Now, Norway were crumbling in the weight of the Argentine pressure.

And then, in the 85th minute, Lionel Messi scored again to singlehandedly decide the result of the game.

It was an Argentine corner. Mac Allister played it, and it was cleared. De Paul recycled the ball to Messi on the edge of the box.

There, he flicked it over Berge's foot, juggled twice, and volleyed it home from an impossible angle; left foot, near post, and then… pandemonium.

BOOM!

The Mercedez-Benz Stadium exploded.

Norway tried, but they never made it back to the game. The final whistle ended, and the game ended 4-3 in Argentina's favor.

It was a thriller. A war. A reminder of just how good Lionel Messi could still be on his day, especially when provoked.