Argentina National Football Team is through to the final of the 2026 World Cup after a 2-1 comeback win over England in the semifinal in Atlanta. Lionel Messi did not score, but he was directly involved in both of Argentina’s goals, setting up Enzo Fernandez in the 84th minute and Lautaro Martinez in the first minute of stoppage time.
England had taken the lead in the 54th minute through Anthony Gordon, but Argentina stayed in the game and turned the match late. The result sends Argentina into the final of the World Cup on 19 July in New York.
Messi controlled the finish
The headline may read Argentina 2-1 England, but the defining detail is how the comeback was built. Messi delivered the final pass on both equalizer and winner, giving Argentina the creativity it needed when the match was slipping away. That is what made the performance so important: it was not just a late rally, but a controlled response from a team that kept finding its captain in the decisive moments.
Enzo Fernandez scored the equalizer at 84 minutes, and Lautaro Martinez completed the turnaround at 90+1. Argentina had to absorb England’s opener before striking twice at the end, which made the semifinal feel like a statement win rather than a narrow escape.
A final with added history
The matchup also carries extra weight because the final will be a rematch of the duel that was supposed to happen in the Finalissima. That meeting was originally set for 27 March in Qatar, but it was canceled because of the geopolitical situation in the region. UEFA explored alternative solutions, including moving the match and rescheduling it, but no agreement was reached.
After this semifinal, the rivalry gets its next stage in the final of the 2026 World Cup. In practical terms, Argentina got the result it needed and did so in a way that showed both resilience and quality in the biggest moments.
Costi Mocanu’s reaction reflected the same idea: Argentina was much better, qualified fully deservedly, and Thomas Tuchel was sharply criticized in the aftermath. The football answer, though, was on the pitch. Argentina came from behind, Messi created both goals, and the national team now moves one step from the title.
