Argentina Stuns England With Late Comeback, Advances to World Cup Final
ATLANTA — Argentina came from behind to beat England 2-1 in the semifinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Wednesday night at Atlanta Stadium, scoring twice in the final ten minutes to book a second consecutive appearance in the tournament's final. The defending champions will face Spain on Sunday, with a chance to become the first nation to win back-to-back World Cup titles since Italy in 1958 and 1962. England had led since the 55th minute through a goal from Anthony Gordon, but two late strikes — an equalizer from Enzo Fernández in the 85th minute and a winner from substitute Lautaro Martínez in second-half stoppage time — turned the match in Argentina's favor. Both goals were created by captain Lionel Messi, who finished the match with two assists.
Match Summary The opening 45 minutes were tense and largely goalless, with both sides more focused on disrupting the other's rhythm than building sustained attacks. Fouls piled up early, and England's Elliott Anderson picked up a yellow card in the 37th minute for a challenge on Messi. Argentina had a player booked before halftime as well, with Lisandro Martínez cautioned in the 42nd minute. Neither team managed a shot on target in the opening half hour, and the sides went into the break level at 0-0.
The match opened up after the interval. England broke the deadlock in the 55th minute when Morgan Rogers whipped in a cross from the right that Anthony Gordon met at the back post, beating goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez to the ball and finishing from close range. Argentina responded by pushing numbers forward, and Alexis Mac Allister came close to an immediate equalizer when his header cannoned off the inside of the post.
For the next half hour, England largely retreated into a deep defensive block, absorbing pressure rather than pushing for a second goal. Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni turned to his bench, introducing Lautaro Martínez in the 81st minute in place of Nicolás Tagliafico. The substitution paid off. In the 85th minute, Fernández — who had already tested goalkeeper Jordan Pickford several times — struck a rising shot from outside the penalty area that flew past Pickford to level the score at 1-1. Four minutes later, in the second minute of stoppage time, Argentina completed the turnaround. After Mac Allister's shot struck the post again, Messi collected the loose ball, drove into space and delivered a cross to the back post, where Martínez rose to head the ball past Pickford for the winning goal. Argentina held on through a chaotic final few minutes, in which a handball claim against the Argentines in their own box was waved away, to seal the 2-1 win.
Key Moments 37' — England's Elliott Anderson cautioned for a foul on Messi, the match's first yellow card. 55' — Anthony Gordon puts England ahead, finishing a cross from Morgan Rogers. 60s–70s — Argentina presses forward; Mac Allister's header strikes the post. 81' — Lautaro Martínez enters as a substitute for Nicolás Tagliafico. 85' — Enzo Fernández levels the match with a long-range strike, assisted by Messi. 90+2' — Martínez heads in the winner from a Messi cross after a second Mac Allister effort comes off the post. 90+3' — Argentina's Rodrigo De Paul is booked for unsporting behavior as the match winds down. Goals Anthony Gordon (England), 55' — Finished a cross from Morgan Rogers at the back post to put England ahead 1-0. Enzo Fernández (Argentina), 85' — Struck a shot from outside the box, assisted by Lionel Messi, to make it 1-1. Lautaro Martínez (Argentina), 90+2' — Headed home a cross from Messi to complete the comeback, 2-1.
Important Statistics According to match data published by ESPN, Argentina finished with an expectedgoals (xG) total of 1.84 from 15 shot attempts, compared with England's 0.53 xG from five shots. Argentina also dominated set-piece opportunities, with Messi delivering multiple corner kicks throughout the match. Four players were shown yellow cards over the course of the game — two from each side.
Player Performances Lionel Messi did not score but was the architect of both Argentina goals, finishing with two assists on the night. Enzo Fernández was heavily involved in Argentina's attack throughout the second half, forcing several saves from Pickford before finally beating him with the equalizer. Lautaro Martínez, introduced only nine minutes before his winning goal, made an immediate impact off the bench. For England, Anthony Gordon's finish gave the Three Lions the lead, while goalkeeper Jordan Pickford made a series of saves to keep the score close before ultimately being beaten twice late on. Defender Djed Spence was also singled out by broadcasters for a strong overall performance in a losing effort.
Coach Reactions Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni had been asked in the days before the match about the historical weight of facing England, including the 1986 "Hand of God" match, and pointed instead to the quality of the second goal Diego Maradona scored that day, rather than dwelling on the earlier handball. England manager Thomas Tuchel, addressing reporters before kickoff about Argentina's choice to wear its navy blue alternate kit — the same shirt worn in the team's historic wins over England in 1986 and 1998 — said he would have made a similar choice himself if there had been a superstition involved, adding that he credited Argentina for the decision. Neither manager's full post-match remarks had been published at the time of this report.
Tournament Impact The win extends Argentina's run as one of the most resilient teams in the tournament. La Albiceleste has now needed a comeback or extra time in four consecutive knockout matches, following a 3-2 extra-time win over Cape Verde in the round of 32, a 3-2 win over Egypt in the round of 16 after trailing by two goals, and a 3-1 extra-time win over Switzerland in the quarterfinals. Argentina will now have the chance to become the first team to win consecutive men's World Cup titles since Italy in 1958 and 1962. For England, the loss extends the team's wait for a first World Cup title since 1966. England will play France, which lost its semifinal to Spain, in Saturday's third-place match.
What Happens Next Argentina will face Spain in the World Cup final on Sunday, July 19, in a rematch of styles between the tournament's most in-form attacking sides. England and France will meet on Saturday, July 18, in the third-place playoff.