Messi's Argentina stun England in comeback to reach World Cup final
Argentina defeated England 2-1 in the World Cup semifinal, with a late goal from Lautaro Martinez securing their spot in the final. Argentina will now face Spain in the championship match in New Jersey.
Why it matters
The World Cup is the most-watched sporting event globally, and this result determines the finalists for the 2026 tournament.
Lautaro Martinez scored a 92nd minute winner as Lionel Messi inspired World Cup holders Argentina to a stunning comeback to beat England 2-1 on Wednesday and set up a final with European champions Spain.
England had been on course to reach their first World Cup final since 1966 after Anthony Gordon fired them into the lead 10 minutes after halftime in the semifinal in front of 68 239 fans in Atlanta.
But the great rivalry between these nations has produced several memorable contests on the World Cup stage down the years and this will be remembered as the stuff of legends in Argentina as the South Americans denied England with two late sucker punches.
Argentina will defend their #FIFAWorldCup title in New Jersey 🇦🇷🏆 #DStvFIFAWorldCup2026 | #EverythingCanWait pic.twitter.com/pLC2j2d0Cd
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in