Argentina is back in the World Cup final after a thrilling semifinal win over England
Argentina Is Back in the World Cup Final After England Thriller
Argentina is back in the World Cup final — the defending champions have once again shown their fighting spirit, earning a 2-1 semifinal victory over England in Atlanta. Two second-half goals secured Argentina's place in the championship match, setting up a clash for back-to-back titles.
A Hard-Fought Path to the Final
This is the fourth straight knockout game where Argentina survived a tense finish. Their road to the final has been anything easy. First came a dramatic extra-time win against Cape Verde, followed by a stunning comeback from 2-0 down against Egypt. The quarterfinal tested them again when Switzerland, reduced to ten men after a 72nd-minute red card, pushed the match into extra time.
Wednesday's semifinal added another chapter to one of football's oldest rivalries. This is the sixth meeting between these two nations at the men's World Cup. The rivalry traces back to Diego Maradona's infamous "Hand of God" goal in 1986, just four years after the Falklands War. Though Britain won that conflict, the question of sovereignty over the islands still lingers.
Late Goals Make the Difference
England took the lead in the 55th minute through Anthony Gordon, who tapped in a cross. But Argentina grew into the game, building pressure that eventually paid off. Midfielder Enzo Fernández equalized with a thunderous long-range shot in the 85th minute.
Stoppage time brought the winner. Lautaro Martínez headed home a Lionel Messi cross to complete the comeback. The 39-year-old Messi was instrumental, providing assists for both Argentine goals and igniting the crowd at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
"I think that this team plays the best when we are facing a difficult situation, with adversity," said Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni. "We had a challenging game, a challenging situation. There was blood in the water, and we went for it."
History Flares on the Pitch
The match was physical from start to finish, with players colliding, pulling jerseys, and diving into tackles. Referee Ismail Elfath, the first American man to referee a World Cup semifinal, showed yellow cards to both teams before halftime.
After the whistle, substitute Giovani Lo Celso unfurled a banner reading "Las Malvinas son Argentinas," referencing the Argentine name for the Falkland Islands. The banner came from Argentine fans in the stands.
"We respect our opponent, but we don't dip in historic events, and we don't make it bigger than it is," England manager Thomas Tuchel said the day before the match.
England's Knockout Curse Continues
The loss extends England's recent struggles in major tournaments. The Three Lions fell in the European Championship finals in both 2020 and 2024. Their last World Cup semifinal in 2018 also ended 2-1, despite an early lead.
"It's a similar story to what's happened in previous tournaments," England captain Harry Kane admitted. "We'd done so well for that 60 minutes. We scored. We deserved to be ahead. And then, for one reason or another, we struggled to keep the ball."
Argentina Set for Sunday Showdown
The stadium buzzed with Argentine supporters wearing white and sky-blue striped jerseys with Messi's name. English fans wore all-white or all-red to honor their scorers, Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham.
Neither English star could prevent another exit, prolonging a 60-year wait to return to the World Cup final. On Sunday, Argentina is back in the World Cup final against Spain, who beat France 2-0 on Tuesday. The Spanish side will chase their first-ever World Cup title.
NPR's Russell Lewis contributed reporting from Atlanta