Messi Shines Argentina late fightback to beat England 2-1 earn World Cup final spot against Spain.
England were left heartbroken after Argentina produced a sensational late comeback to win 2-1 in a thrilling FIFA World Cup semi-final in Atlanta, ending the Three Lions' hopes of reaching their first men's World Cup final since 1966.
Thomas Tuchel's side looked destined for the final when Anthony Gordon fired England ahead in the 55th minute, finishing a superb cross from Morgan Rogers. England defended bravely for much of the second half, with goalkeeper Jordan Pickford making a series of outstanding saves to deny Argentina.
But the defending champions refused to give up. Enzo Fernández equalised in the 85th minute with a powerful long-range strike before Lautaro MartÃnez completed the dramatic turnaround in stoppage time, sparking wild celebrations among the Argentina supporters.
The semi-final was packed with fierce tackles, heated exchanges and relentless attacking football, making it one of the most entertaining matches of the tournament. Argentina dominated the closing stages, repeatedly testing England's defence before finally breaking through.
With the victory, Argentina advance to the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final, where they will face Spain in a blockbuster showdown on Sunday as they chase back-to-back world titles. England, meanwhile, will take on France in the third-place play-off after another painful World Cup exit.
Find out here SoccerGraph.com when England could face Argentina in the World Cup 2026 semi-final, including date, kick‑off time, Georgia venue, tickets and TV coverage options.
England 1-2 Argentina semi-final score, stats, facts, records.
Argentina beat England 2-1 to book a World Cup final spot on Wednesday, July 15, 2026.
Argentina have reached the FIFA World Cup final for the seventh time, the outright second most of any side after Germany (8).
Argentina have reached consecutive FIFA World Cup finals for the second time, previously doing so in 1986/1990.
Having won their first FIFA World Cup semi-final in 1966, England have now been eliminated in each of their last three matches at this stage (1990, 2018, 2026).
The 2026 final between Spain and Argentina will be the first ever FIFA World Cup final between the reigning UEFA European champions, and the reigning CONMEBOL Copa America champions.
England vs. Argentina Head-to-Head Records, Form Guide, Past Match Results, Last 5 Meetings
Argentina vs England at the World Cup
Argentina's last match with England was over 20 years ago, a 3-2 defeat in 2005 in Switzerland.
No player in the Argentina squad, including Lionel Messi, featured in the match.
Hand of God, Michael Owen's wonder goal, the quarter-final in '66.
Wednesday's semi-final will be the fifth between Argentina and England at World Cups.
England 3-1 Argentina - 1962
England 1-0 Argentina - 1966
Argentina 2-1 England - 1986
Argentina 2-2 England (4-3 on pens) 1998
England 1-0 Argentina - 2002
England's Path (Group L Winners)
Group Stage: England 4-2 Croatia; England 0-0 Ghana; Panama 0-2 England.
Round of 32: England 2-1 DR Congo.
Round of 16: Mexico 2-3 England.
Quarter-final: Norway 1-2 England (AET).
Argentina's Path (Group J Winners)
Group Stage: Argentina 3-0 Algeria; Argentina 2-0 Austria; Jordan 1-3 Argentina.
Round of 32: Argentina 3-2 Cape Verde (AET).
Round of 16: Argentina 3-2 Egypt.
Quarter-final: Argentina 3-1 Switzerland (AET).
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