AI chatbots were supposed to make Googling a thing of the past. Then Lionel Messi and Argentina broke the internet.
Google said Search hit the highest usage level in its history after Argentina’s dramatic 2026 World Cup victory over Egypt. Immediately after Argentina completed its thrilling comeback, people rushed online to search “argentina vs egypt” and “is it messi’s last world cup,” according to CNBC.
“Google Search broke all prior usage records,” wrote Nick Fox, head of Google’s Knowledge and Information unit.
The milestone comes at a crucial moment for Google, which is trying to prove its core search business remains powerful as AI chatbots change the way people find information online. Despite growing competition, Google still controls about 90% of the search market and its stock has more than doubled over the past year. Messi’s goal didn’t hurt.
AI chatbots were supposed to make Googling a thing of the past. Then Lionel Messi and Argentina broke the internet.
Google said Search hit the highest usage level in its history after Argentina’s dramatic 2026 World Cup victory over Egypt. Immediately after Argentina completed its thrilling comeback, people rushed online to search “argentina vs egypt” and “is it messi’s last world cup,” according to CNBC.
“Google Search broke all prior usage records,” wrote Nick Fox, head of Google’s Knowledge and Information unit.
The milestone comes at a crucial moment for Google, which is trying to prove its core search business remains powerful as AI chatbots change the way people find information online. Despite growing competition, Google still controls about 90% of the search market and its stock has more than doubled over the past year. Messi’s goal didn’t hurt.
