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Argentina produced a dramatic late comeback to defeat England 2-1 on Wednesday night, booking a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final after overturning a second-half deficit in a gripping semi-final at Atlanta Stadium.
Thomas Tuchel’s side looked destined to reach England’s first World Cup final since 1966 after Anthony Gordon fired the Three Lions ahead early in the second half. However, the defending champions responded with the resilience that has defined their recent World Cup campaigns, scoring twice in the closing stages to shatter England’s hopes.
England had absorbed sustained Argentine pressure before finally breaking the deadlock in the 55th minute. Gordon latched onto Morgan Rogers’ incisive pass before finishing confidently to spark celebrations among England supporters, who sensed a historic victory was within reach.
Despite falling behind, Lionel Scaloni’s men refused to panic and gradually wrestled control of the contest. Lionel Messi, who had been closely marked for much of the evening, began dictating play as Argentina increased the intensity in search of an equaliser.
Their persistence paid off in the 85th minute when Enzo Fernández converted from a precise Messi assist to restore parity, leaving England stunned after defending resolutely for most of the encounter.
With extra time looming, Argentina delivered the decisive blow in stoppage time. Messi once again unlocked England’s defence with a perfectly weighted pass, allowing Lautaro Martínez to finish clinically in the 92nd minute and complete a remarkable turnaround that silenced the English supporters.
England pushed desperately for a late equaliser during an extended period of added time, with Jordan Pickford joining attacks and Thomas Tuchel introducing Marcus Rashford and Ivan Toney in a final attempt to rescue the match.
However, Argentina’s defence stood firm to preserve the victory. The result extends Argentina’s impressive record in World Cup semi-finals and sends the reigning champions into a second consecutive World Cup final, where they will face Spain, who defeated France 2-0 in the other semi-final.
For England, the defeat marks another painful exit at the penultimate stage of a major tournament despite an encouraging campaign. The Three Lions will now face France in the third-place play-off, while Argentina will attempt to retain the World Cup title in Sunday’s final against Spain.
