World Cup Argentina Stun England Reach Final

ATLANTA, July 15 — Defending champions Argentina produced a stunning late comeback to beat England 2-1 in the FIFA World Cup semifinal, scoring twice in the final five minutes to book a second consecutive appearance in the World Cup final.

England looked destined for their first World Cup final since 1966 after Anthony Gordon fired them ahead in the 55th minute from a Morgan Rogers counterattack. But instead of pushing for a second goal, Thomas Tuchel’s side retreated deep, allowing Argentina to seize complete control.

Lionel Scaloni’s tactical adjustments transformed the match. Argentina dominated possession and pinned England inside their own half before Lionel Messi delivered when it mattered most. The 39-year-old set up Enzo Fernández for the equalizer in the 85th minute, then provided another decisive assist for substitute Lautaro Martínez, who completed the dramatic turnaround just minutes later.

Messi was named Man of the Match for the fifth time in the tournament. He now leads the Golden Boot race with eight goals and four assists while extending his all-time World Cup records to 21 goals and 12 assists.

“Our team plays its best football when facing adversity,” Scaloni said after the match. “We kept believing, kept attacking, and never stopped fighting.”

Tuchel insisted he had “no regrets” over his tactical approach, but England’s decision to protect a one-goal lead instead of chasing a second proved costly. Captain Harry Kane admitted afterward: “Once we went 1-0 up, we just tried to hold on. At this level, that’s not enough to reach a World Cup final.”

The victory once again showed that Argentina are far more than just Messi. Enzo Fernández, Julián Álvarez and Lautaro

Martínez have all delivered decisive moments throughout the tournament, highlighting the depth, resilience and winning mentality of Scaloni’s squad.

Argentina will face Spain in the World Cup final in New York on Sunday, while England take on France in Saturday’s third-place playoff in Miami.