Quick take
Argentina are heading back to the World Cup final after producing another late comeback when the pressure was at its highest.
England led through Anthony Gordon’s 55th-minute finish and remained in front until the final five minutes of regulation. Enzo Fernández equalised in the 85th minute before Lautaro Martínez headed in a dramatic winner in the 90+2nd minute.
Lionel Messi did not score, but he created both goals as Argentina turned a likely semifinal defeat into a 2-1 victory at Atlanta Stadium.
The defending champions will now face Spain in the 2026 World Cup final on Sunday, July 19, at New York New Jersey Stadium.
England were minutes away from the final
The first half reflected the history surrounding Argentina and England.
It was physical, tense and filled with challenges, but neither side created enough clear opportunities to take control before the break.
England finally broke the deadlock ten minutes into the second half.
Nicolás Tagliafico’s attempted clearance fell to Declan Rice, who released Morgan Rogers. Rogers delivered across the penalty area and Gordon arrived at the back post to guide the ball beyond Emiliano Martínez.
The goal placed England within reach of their first men’s World Cup final since 1966.
Instead of using the lead to push Argentina backwards, England gradually retreated toward their own penalty area. Argentina took control of possession, increased the pressure and forced Thomas Tuchel’s team to defend increasingly close to Jordan Pickford’s goal.
For long periods, England survived.
They could not survive the final assault.
Enzo Fernández changed the match
Argentina’s equaliser arrived in the 85th minute.
Messi received possession outside the penalty area and found Fernández in space near the edge of the box. The midfielder struck from approximately 20 metres, driving the ball beyond Pickford and into the corner.
It was the breakthrough Argentina’s pressure had threatened to produce.
The equaliser transformed the atmosphere inside the stadium and immediately changed the direction of the semifinal. England were no longer protecting a lead. They were trying to regain control of a match that had moved almost completely toward Argentina.
Seven minutes later, the comeback was complete.
Lautaro Martínez delivers the winner
Lautaro Martínez had entered the match as an 81st-minute substitute.
In the second minute of stoppage time, Alexis Mac Allister drove an effort against the post. Messi recovered the rebound on the right and delivered a precise cross into the penalty area.
Martínez attacked the space and headed the ball past Pickford.
Argentina’s players and substitutes poured into the celebration while England were left with almost no time to respond.
From leading with five minutes of regulation remaining, England had been eliminated before extra time could begin.
Messi controlled the decisive moments
Messi’s influence was not measured by another goal.
It came through two passes that decided the semifinal.
He created the space for Fernández’s equaliser and then reacted first after Mac Allister struck the post, collecting the loose ball before supplying Martínez with the winning cross.
The match was Messi’s first senior international appearance against England. At 39, he delivered two decisive actions that moved Argentina within one victory of retaining the World Cup.
Before the semifinal, ForfeitMedia examined the history behind Messi’s first senior meeting with England.
The result adds another chapter to a rivalry shaped by some of the most recognisable matches in World Cup history.
Argentina continue finding a way
Argentina’s route to the final has not been comfortable.
The defending champions survived a 3-2 extra-time match against Cape Verde before producing an extraordinary recovery after falling two goals behind against Egypt.
That escape is covered in ForfeitMedia’s report on Argentina’s 3-2 comeback against Egypt.
Switzerland then pushed Argentina into extra time in the quarterfinal before Julián Álvarez and Martínez secured a 3-1 victory.
England appeared capable of finally ending that run.
Argentina responded with the same quality that has carried them through the tournament: patience when the match became difficult, experience under pressure and the belief that one final opportunity would arrive.
It arrived twice.
What the defeat means for England
England were close to ending a 60-year wait for another men’s World Cup final.
Gordon’s goal gave them the advantage, but the team lost attacking control after moving in front. Harry Kane later acknowledged that England became too focused on protecting the lead instead of continuing to play with the aggression that had put them ahead.
For Jude Bellingham and the rest of England’s younger core, the defeat will be especially difficult because the opportunity was visible until the closing minutes.
England had already survived demanding knockout matches against Mexico and Norway. Against the defending champions, however, the final minutes exposed the difference between reaching a semifinal and closing one.
England will now face France in the third-place match.
Argentina will face Spain in the final
Argentina’s opponent will be Spain, who defeated France 2-0 in the other semifinal.
Read ForfeitMedia’s report on Spain’s semifinal victory over France.
The final will bring together the tournament’s most productive attack and its strongest defence.
Argentina have scored 19 goals across seven victories. Spain have conceded only once and will enter the final with an unbeaten record.
Argentina are attempting to win their fourth World Cup and become the first country since Brazil in 1962 to retain the men’s title.
Spain are chasing their second World Cup after winning the competition in 2010.
The final takes place on Sunday, July 19, at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford.
Bottom line
England were five minutes away from the World Cup final.
Argentina needed seven minutes to take it away from them.
Fernández equalised, Martínez delivered the winner and Messi created both goals as the defending champions produced another comeback under maximum pressure.
Argentina are one victory away from consecutive world titles.
England are eliminated.
