Defending champions Argentina produced a dramatic late comeback to defeat England 2-1 in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final, securing a place in the title clash against Spain.
Led by the brilliance of Lionel Messi, who provided two decisive assists, Argentina overturned a one-goal deficit in the closing stages of the match at Atlanta to keep their World Cup title defence alive.
England Take Early Control
England looked set for a famous victory after Anthony Gordon opened the scoring, finishing a well-worked move created by Morgan Rogers. The Three Lions controlled large spells of the contest and carried their advantage deep into the second half.
However, Argentina refused to give up and mounted a remarkable late fightback.
Messi Inspires Argentina’s Comeback
With just minutes remaining, Enzo Fernandez levelled the score in the 85th minute with a stunning long-range strike after being set up by Lionel Messi.
The defending champions completed the turnaround in stoppage time when substitute Lautaro Martinez calmly converted another Messi assist to spark jubilant celebrations among Argentine supporters.
Messi’s vision and creativity proved decisive as Argentina scored twice in the closing moments to seal a memorable victory.
Argentina to Face Spain in the Final
The win sends Argentina into the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, where they will take on Spain in a blockbuster title clash at the New York New Jersey Stadium.
Spain booked their place in the final after overcoming France in the other semi-final.
England to Play France for Third Place
Despite an impressive performance for much of the match, England’s World Cup dream ended with the late collapse.
The Three Lions will now face France in the third-place playoff ahead of Sunday’s final.
