- Argentina came from behind to defeat England 2-1 and secure a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final.
- Lionel Messi inspired La Albiceleste to a second consecutive World Cup final with another match-winning display.
- England's dream ended in the semifinals as Argentina set up a blockbuster title clash with Spain.
The reigning champions Argentina, are one match away from making history. Just when it seemed like England would finally win their second FIFA World Cup title, thanks to a 1-0 lead by Anthony Gordon, Lionel Scaloni’s side exhibited an incredible late revival to grab a 2-1 win and earn the right to face Spain in the final.
Having given England the lead in the second half, Gordon made them dream of a famous victory, but late strikes from Enzo Fernández and Lisandro Martínez turned the game on its head.
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It took 33 minutes for the first chance to occur when John Stones met Declan Rice’s free-kick at the far post and sent his header wide of the post. Argentina responded through Enzo Fernández, who wasn’t able to connect with Jordan Pickford’s goal.
Having survived several knockout scares already in the tournament, both teams knew another moment of brilliance could decide the contest.
Argentina nearly found it moments after the restart when Julian Alvarez raced beyond Spence following a long ball forward, only for Pickford to produce an excellent save at his near post.
It was England who made the first move in this match. Morgan Rogers, who was back in the starting eleven of Thomas Tuchel's team, made a low cross into the six-yard box that was perfectly timed by Anthony Gordon, as he made sure to get ahead of Nahuel Molina and score the first goal for England.
With the pressure building to equalize, Argentina upped their attacking play. England’s defense stood firm. Djed Spence was able to execute his crucial tackle to block Giuliano Simeone while Jordan Pickford made one more brilliant save to stop Nico Gonzalez from scoring. Alexis Mac Allister then hit the post with his shot as Argentina intensified their attacks.
Finally, a significant moment occurred as Lionel Messi produced another brilliant play. With great skill, he executed a short corner kick, passing the ball to Enzo Fernandez, who scored a fabulous goal that tied the match and raised the spirits of the fans in the stadium.
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It seemed that England had lost its confidence, and Argentina tried to take advantage of this situation. In the last moments of injury time, Mac Allister managed to hit the frame of the goal again, but Messi did not let this chance go unused. He managed to keep the ball and made a great cross to Lisandro Martinez, who scored the winning goal.
The late turnaround completed another unforgettable night for the defending champions, who will now face Spain in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final as they chase back-to-back world titles.