Argentina produced a dramatic late comeback to defeat England 2–1 and secure a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final against Spain.
England appeared to be heading for their first World Cup final since winning the tournament in 1966 after Anthony Gordon opened the scoring in the 55th minute. The goal began when a defensive clearance fell to Declan Rice, who released Morgan Rogers with a well-timed pass. Rogers delivered the ball across the penalty area, allowing Gordon to finish at the far post beyond Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
The match remained fiercely contested as England attempted to protect their narrow advantage. However, Thomas Tuchel’s team gradually dropped deeper, giving Argentina greater control and allowing the defending champions to apply sustained pressure during the closing stages.
Argentina finally found the equaliser in the 85th minute. Lionel Messi located Enzo Fernandez near the edge of the penalty area, and the midfielder struck a powerful shot from around 20 metres into the corner of Jordan Pickford’s goal.
The turnaround was completed in the second minute of stoppage time. Alexis Mac Allister’s initial effort hit the post, but Messi recovered possession and moved down the right side before delivering an accurate cross into the penalty area. Substitute Lautaro Martinez met the ball with a header to score the winning goal and trigger celebrations among Argentina’s players and supporters.
The result ended England’s hopes of returning to the World Cup final after a 60-year absence. Despite competing evenly with Argentina for much of the semifinal, England were unable to withstand the late attacking surge from the reigning champions.
Argentina will now face Spain in the final after the European side defeated France 2–0 in the other semifinal. The match will give Argentina an opportunity to successfully defend their title and become only the third nation to win consecutive World Cups since Brazil achieved the feat in 1962.
The final is also expected to carry special significance for 39-year-old Messi, who is widely believed to be playing in the last World Cup of his career. After contributing to both late goals against England, the Argentine captain remains central to his country’s pursuit of another global title.
