Thierry Henry: Messi First Reminded Us He's Human, Then That He's Not

French football and Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has lauded Lionel Messi's "unbelievable" performance for the Argentine national team. The "Gauchos" captain led his side to a thrilling 3-2 victory over Egypt in the Round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup.

Despite missing a penalty, the superstar of the reigning world champions redeemed himself with a goal and an assist. Henry, who works as an analyst for Fox Sports, commented on the emotional reaction of the Argentine after the match.

"First and foremost, look at him crying. That shows how much everything means to him and his team. First, he reminded us he's human because he missed a penalty. And immediately after, he reminded us he's not," Henry stated.

Messi's former Barcelona teammate also shared personal insights from their time playing together. "I played with him, and I remember that sometimes with Leo, you just shouldn't wake the beast. I've seen it up close in training. If he felt an injustice, like a foul not called by the coach, his gaze would change. He'd grab the ball and score three consecutive goals. Then he'd turn around and say, 'Next time, call the foul,'" the Frenchman recounted.

According to Henry, when Messi enters that state, he is almost impossible to stop.

"When his team needs him most, he elevates his game like few others. He had played 120 minutes just days before, yet he still upped his tempo, took the ball, attacked, and tried to change the game. He is unique. It's like a movie that doesn't happen in real life. Simply unbelievable," concluded the 48-year-old analyst.