Argentina booked their place in the World Cup final after producing a stunning late comeback to beat England 2-1 in a thrilling semi-final on Wednesday, keeping Lionel Messi’s dream of ending his international career with another world title alive.
England looked set to reach their first World Cup final since 1966 after Anthony Gordon gave the Three Lions the lead in the 55th minute. However, Argentina refused to surrender and struck twice in the closing stages through Enzo Fernandez and substitute Lautaro Martinez to snatch victory.
Fernandez sparked the comeback in the 85th minute after Messi picked him out on the edge of the penalty area, with the midfielder firing a superb long-range effort beyond England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
Deep into stoppage time, Argentina completed the turnaround. After Alexis Mac Allister’s shot came back off the post, Messi collected the loose ball before delivering a pinpoint cross for Martinez, who powered home the winning header in the 92nd minute.
The victory sends the defending champions into Sunday’s World Cup final against Spain, while England’s long wait for another appearance in football’s biggest showpiece continues.
Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni praised his players for their determination, describing the comeback as another example of the team’s fighting spirit.
“We are truly unique. These players gave everything for the country, and I’m incredibly proud of what they achieved,” he said.
The result was particularly significant for the 39-year-old Messi, who is widely expected to be playing in the final World Cup of his legendary career.
England manager Thomas Tuchel admitted the defeat was painful but insisted he had no regrets over his team’s performance.
“The players gave everything and we came very close. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get over the line,” he said.
Captain Harry Kane echoed those sentiments, saying England had controlled much of the match before becoming too defensive after taking the lead.
“We played well for most of the game, but once we went 1-0 up we tried to protect the lead. Against a team like Argentina, that’s simply not enough,” Kane said.
The latest meeting between two of football’s fiercest rivals lived up to its billing, with tempers flaring throughout a fiercely contested encounter. Backed by a sea of sky blue and white inside Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Argentina’s supporters celebrated another unforgettable victory as their team edged one step closer to retaining the World Cup.
