Argentina stun England with late comeback to reach World Cup final:
Argentina produced another stunning comeback as the defending champions broke English hearts to reach a second successive World Cup final.
Time appeared to be running out after Anthony Gordon’s opener left Argentina trailing deep into the second half. But the world champions once again dragged themselves back from the brink.
First, Enzo Fernandez let fly from 20 yards to beat Jordan Pickford. Lautaro Martinez then struck in stoppage time to complete another famous victory.
Argentina will face Spain in Sunday’s final as they seek to become only the third nation to retain the World Cup.
Many old and young English Football fans felt this was going to be England’s revenge on Argentina in the World Cup Finals after the atrocious defeat for them in 1986 World Cup final when Diego Maradona beat them with what England Football fans thought was a handball by Maradona.
And here is that hand of God goal World Cup that Maradona scored against England annoying the British to no end.
This World Cup semi-final was going to be the revenge for that tragedy for England Football teams in the World Cup and it started great when England got their first goal in early second half and everything looked very safe for them as they were sailing to victory to make it to the World Cup Finals.
England looked very good and with just 5 minutes left to end the great game, Argentina scores their first goal by middle fielder Enzo Fernandez making a shot from way outside the box right into the England net.
It was game time from there and everybody knows this game was headed for overtime, so it was a matter of both teams protecting their net and trying their luck in what comes next.
Then Lionel Messi comes up to let the world know why he is one of the best football players in the world today.
Messi takes a pass just in left field and lifts it up into the box in front of England goal and who else gets there but Argentina defender Martinez in full charge to the goal beating all England defenders to put the ball into the net.
That was 2-1 for Argentina scoring two goals in five minutes. It was game over again for England just like in the so many World Cups games since 1966.
I was talking to the kids watching the game with me and they have all sorts of ideas about football because they play the game at school and they asked me why I was against England winning the semi-final to go to the real thing.
I told them if England wins the World Cup it will make me look like the oldest man in the world because the last time they won it, I was 6 years old. If I live long enough for them to win it again in my lifetime, I will have to be hundreds of years old.
The kids just laughed and figured they would rather just watch the game and they loved it.
Enzo Fernandez (right) got Argentina level before Lautaro Martinez headed in the winning goal
Lionel Messi explodes with emotion as Argentina World Cup classic vs England ends
Lionel Messi was overcome with emotion after Argentina’s comeback win against England to reach a second consecutive World Cup final.
Argentina, the defending world champions, fell a goal behind to the Three Lions after Anthony Gordon swept the ball home at the back post from a Morgan Rogers cross in the 55th minute. Thomas Tuchel’s team sank deeper and deeper as the Argentines pushed for an equalizer, with a sea of defenders being subbed on to protect Jordan Pickford’s goal.
However, the plan that worked against Mexico backfired against Messi and Co. The Inter Miami star passed to Enzo Fernandez on the edge of the England penalty area before the Chelsea midfielder rifled a shot home, leaving five minutes plus added time to score a winner.
With England on the ropes, Argentina pushed harder — and they got their reward in the 92nd minute.
A combination of Djed Spence and Nico O’Reilly failed to close down Messi, who clipped a ball into the six-yard box for Lautaro Martinez to head the ball into the back of the net.
England had run out of ideas and were left desperately trying to recover from the sea of defensive changes made earlier. It was too little, too late — and after 9 additional minutes, Argentina’s comeback win was confirmed.
Messi dropped to his knees at full-time to celebrate, with the 39-year-old set to feature in his third World Cup final, following on from 2014’s defeat to Germany, and the thrilling win over France in 2022.
Messi was then surrounded by his teammates as wild celebrations ensued.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has eight goals — tied with France’s Kylian Mbappe — and four assists.
Messi will go up against Spain’s superstar teenager, Lamine Yamal, with whom he took a famous photo when the Barcelona winger was a baby.
Lionel Scaloni, Head Coach of Argentina, celebrates with Lionel Messi #10 after the 2-1 win during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Semi Final match between England and Argentina at Atlanta Stadium on July 15, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia.
After the game, England manager Thomas Tuchel asserted that he had “no regrets” as his tactical tweaks blew up in the Three Lions’ faces. “We’re disappointed. We were so close, but we got too passive after the goal. We conceded so, so many crosses, chances, and shots. We were close, but we couldn’t keep the level up after we scored,” Tuchel said.
“We decided to go a back five because the gaps were too big and they were getting too many crosses in, so we wanted to be strong in the air.
“Straight after the [Anthony Gordon] goal, with no substitutions, we conceded far too many crosses. We tried to help the players, but the responsibility is on the coach.
“Of course, we wanted to go for the second goal, but it doesn’t help if you don’t have the ball. We became too passive; we couldn’t keep the ball.
“I don’t think it was a structural problem. The match changed completely, and I understand that these discussions are out there, that there are a million coaches out there who know better. I have to make a decision.
“No regrets, not at the moment. We were very close, we deserved to be 1-0 up – we played one of our better matches [up to that point], maybe our best match.”
“I have no answer to that question because I don’t really know what it means. It’s not the moment now to analyze the whole tournament,” the German responded when asked if we’d seen a typical Tuchel team at the tournament.
