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Defending champions Argentina defeated England 2-1 in a dramatic 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final on Wednesday evening to book their place in a second consecutive World Cup final, where they will face Spain in a mouth-watering title clash.
The South American giants showed the resilience and championship mentality that has characterized their season, overturning a one-goal deficit in the dying minutes through Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez after England looked destined for a first World Cup final appearance since 1966.
England took the lead through Anthony Gordon in the 55th minute, but Fernández restored parity in the 85th minute before Martínez scored the winner in the second minute of added time (90+2) to send the Argentine fans into wild celebration.
The victory also ended England’s hopes of winning a second world title and condemned Thomas Tuchel’s side to a third-place play-off against France on Saturday.
England strikes first
With a place in Sunday’s final at stake, both teams approached the match with caution, refusing to leave any space in defense during an intense first half.
Argentina enjoyed more possession, with captain Lionel Messi orchestrating attacks from midfield, while England remained disciplined at the back and looked dangerous on the counterattack through Bukayo Saka and Anthony Gordon.
Despite Argentina’s dominance of possession, England created the best opportunities in the opening exchanges, with Jordan Pickford having little to do at the opposite end while John Stones and Marc Guéhi marshalled the defense superbly.
The first half ultimately ended goalless with both goalkeepers remaining largely calm in what was a tactical battle between Lionel Scaloni and Thomas Tuchel.
Gordon gives the Three Lions hope
England returned from the break with greater attacking intent and were rewarded 10′ into the second half.
In the 55th minute, Morgan Rogers made an excellent run down the right flank before launching a dangerous low cross into the penalty area. Anthony Gordon timed his run perfectly and calmly slotted the ball past Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez to give England a deserved 1-0 lead.
The goal sparked jubilant celebrations among England fans, who began to dream of seeing their team in the first World Cup final in sixty years.
After the breakthrough, England concentrated deeper and attempted to frustrate the defending champions by relying on quick counterattacks to increase their lead.
Argentina, however, did not panic.
Argentina responds with the mentality of champions
Realizing that time was running out, Lionel Scaloni introduced fresh legs as Argentina increased the pace of the game.
Messi continued to pull the strings in midfield, repeatedly testing England’s defensive organization with incisive passing and intelligent movement. fifa.com
England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford was forced into several important saves to deny Julián Álvarez and Messi as Argentina applied relentless pressure in search of an equaliser.
Their persistence finally paid off in the 85th minute.
After a well-researched corner kick initiated by Messi, the ball fell kindly to Enzo Fernández outside the penalty area. The Chelsea midfielder unleashed a powerful long-range shot that went past Pickford into the bottom corner to make it 1-1.
The equalizer completely changed the momentum of the match, leaving England shaken while Argentina felt victory was within reach.
Martínez lands the knockout blow
With extra time looking inevitable, Argentina produced one last attacking move that ultimately settled the thrilling contest.
In the midst of injury time, at 90+2, Messi once again demonstrated his qualities with a perfect pass into the penalty area.
Inter striker Lautaro Martínez managed to beat the English defenders before directing a powerful header past Pickford to complete a stunning comeback and seal a memorable 2-1 victory for the Albiceleste.
The dramatic late winner sparked emotional celebrations among Argentina’s players and coaching staff as they secured another opportunity to defend the title they won in Qatar four years ago.
Messi inspires despite no goals
Even though the legendary Lionel Messi didn’t score, his influence on the match was undeniable.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner dictated the pace of the match, creating numerous chances and playing a decisive role in both of the Argentine’s goals.
His leadership, composure and creativity once again proved invaluable as the reigning champions prevailed over resilient England.
Messi’s performance further strengthened his bid to cap off an illustrious international career by winning two consecutive FIFA World Cup titles.
England fail once again
For Thomas Tuchel, defeat will be difficult to accept after his team came within minutes of the final.
England defended admirably for much of the second half and looked capable of protecting their slim lead before Argentina’s late surge turned the game on its head.
The Three Lions will now shift their attention to Saturday’s third-place play-off against France, hoping to end the tournament on a positive note after another painful World Cup semi-final exit.
Despite the disappointment, England can take encouragement from an impressive tournament in which they defeated the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mexico and Norway to reach the semi-finals.
Spain awaits the blockbuster final
Argentina’s victory means the defending champions will face Spain in Sunday’s FIFA World Cup final, after the European champions defeated France 2-0 in the first semi-final.
The final promises to be a fascinating match between two of the most consistent teams in the tournament.
Spain will aim for a second World Cup title, while Argentina aims to become the first nation since Brazil in 1962 to successfully defend the FIFA World Cup trophy.
With Messi looking for another historic triumph and Spain looking to complete an extraordinary season with its exciting young team, football fans everywhere can expect a fitting finale to what has been an unforgettable FIFA World Cup.
