Messi’s “Never Stop Believing” Message Exposes the Myth of Meritocracy in Football’s Elite
As Argentina prepares to face England in the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup, Lionel Messi’s defiant Instagram post — “This team never stops believing. We’re in the top four again!!! Let’s f*****g go” — has been framed by mainstream media as a tale of individual grit. But for those of us committed to dismantling the structures of privilege and oppression, this narrative demands a deeper, intersectional critique. The World Cup, like so many global sporting institutions, is a stage where systemic inequalities are both performed and obscured.
The match itself, a 2-1 victory over Switzerland after extra time, was marked by a controversial VAR decision that sent Swiss striker Breel Embl