Argentina is headed back to the World Cup final. Lionel Messi’s team beat England 2-1 in the 2026 World Cup semifinal in Atlanta on Wednesday, July 15, with a dramatic late comeback.
How the match played out
- First half: A tense, scrappy 45 minutes with lots of fouls and no shots from either side.
- 59th minute: Anthony Gordon scored his first World Cup goal to put England ahead 1-0.
- England holds on: Keeper Jordan Pickford made save after save as Argentina kept pushing.
- 86th minute: Enzo Fernández lifted the ball over Pickford to tie it 1-1.
- Stoppage time: Two minutes in, Messi delivered a perfect pass for Lautaro Martinez to head in the winner.
Messi’s reaction
The 39-year-old was overjoyed on the pitch. Before the match, Pickford had called facing Messi an honor, pointing to how many goals he has scored and set up in his career, while warning that England couldn’t focus only on him. In the end, Messi’s assist decided it. Argentina will face Spain in the final in New Jersey on Sunday, July 19.
Argentina came into the tournament as reigning champions and beat teams including Egypt and Switzerland on the way to the semifinal. Before the World Cup, Messi told ESPN that winning gives a team confidence and relief, and that Argentina needed to take advantage of its moment.
Our take
It was a classic Messi moment: quiet for long stretches, then decisive when it mattered most. With his career nearing its end, a shot at back-to-back World Cup titles is a fitting storyline for one of the greatest players ever.
