ESPN Catching Heat for Confusing Lionel Messi Graphic After Argentina’s World Cup Win

Not sure what they were going for with this one.

In the end, Lionel Messi was … inevitable.

At least that might have been what ESPN was going for with its social media graphic that was tweeted out following Messi and Argentina’s electrifying win over France in Sunday’s World Cup final. Argentina defeated the defending champions in penalty kicks (4–2), a feat ESPN commemorated with this somewhat confusing Avengers-themed post.

Messi can finally rest and watch the sun rise on a grateful universe 🏆 @ESPNFC pic.twitter.com/3kbVosgupM

— ESPN (@espn) December 18, 2022

Beyond ESPN and Marvel both being Disney properties, the link between the most feared villain in the comic book universe and one of soccer’s most beloved superstars was a bit confounding for people to process minutes after Messi’s most meaningful victory.

While Thanos is most famous for snapping half of all life into oblivion, Messi’s Sunday was a victorious one. And the moment the tweet appears to be referring to—the final shot of 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War in which Thanos basks in victory after his infamous snap—would (spoiler alert) end up being undone by the events of Avengers: Endgame. It does not appear that there’s any time travel hijinks that France could conjure up to reverse the events of Sunday’s instant classic.

However tenuous the link between Messi and Thanos is, the post raised some eyebrows on social media in the aftermath of the game. Here are some of the best of the bunch.

Did I miss one of Messi's nicknames being Thanos? Is he disappearing after getting the trophy? I don't get this at all. https://t.co/cqb96amyAp

— Shawn Dunagan 🎗️ (@shawndunagan) December 18, 2022

why are you like this

— Nick Stellini (@StelliniTweets) December 18, 2022

I’m begging ESPN to stop using Thanos for everything https://t.co/tLaXlyZu73

— B.W. Carlin (@BaileyCarlin) December 18, 2022

Thanos is the villain and Thanos lost. https://t.co/SyQqVIIqiA

— Jacqueline Purdy (@JacquelinePurdy) December 18, 2022

Bro Thanos is a mass murderer lol

— Liam McGuire (@LiamRMcGuire) December 18, 2022

That's Thanos lads. https://t.co/5RycUod9mG

— James McManus (@JamesMcManus1) December 18, 2022

you had decades to prepare for Messi winning a World Cup and went with ... this????

— David Rudin is elsewhere (links on website) (@DavidSRudin) December 18, 2022

Guys, you’re owned by Disney too. Run this by anyone there to make sure nothing bad happens to Thanos right after this … https://t.co/EeCHTv1fpP

— Bill Kuchman (@billkuchman) December 18, 2022

No way ESPN just compared Lionel Messi to Thanos. 😭 https://t.co/EZYc0nlt0B

— Jeff Roberts (@JeffRoberts__) December 18, 2022