Argentina came from behind to beat England 2-1, booking their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final
Lionel Messi assisted both goals as Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez completed a stunning late comeback
Thomas Tuchel's defensive changes backfired, with England surrendering a 1-0 lead late in the semifinal
England were within touching distance of their first FIFA World Cup final since 1966, only for Lionel Messi and Argentina to produce another unforgettable comeback.
Thomas Tuchel's side led through Anthony Gordon's 55th-minute strike and looked set to book a blockbuster final against Spain. Instead, late goals from Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez turned the semifinal on its head, sealing a dramatic 2-1 victory for the defending champions in Atlanta. Argentina will now face Spain in Sunday's World Cup final, while England must regroup for the third-place playoff against France.
Tuchel's Tactical Shift Invites Argentina's Relentless Pressure
England's downfall began with a tactical retreat rather than a lack of effort. After Gordon's opener, Tuchel introduced Dan Burn and Nico O'Reilly in place of Reece James and Declan Rice, switching to a back five in an attempt to protect the lead.
“They won every header. They kept crossing and crossing. So we went to a back five to close the gaps inside and be stronger in the air,” Tuchel said.
“Straight after our goal, with no substitutions, we just conceded way too many crosses and way too many chances. So we tried to help. But of course the responsibility is on the coach. And … if it doesn’t go well, it’s easy to say that it was wrong.”
Instead of shutting Argentina out, the changes handed the South Americans complete control. According to Opta, Argentina enjoyed an astonishing 88% possession in the 38 minutes between England's goal and Lautaro Martinez's winner.
Fernandez curled home the equalizer in the 85th minute after a Messi assist before Martinez headed in another Messi delivery in stoppage time to complete the turnaround.
England Left to Reflect as Argentina March Into Another Final
England captain Harry Kane admitted the team invited unnecessary pressure after taking the lead.
“It’s disappointing to give up the space that we did in those final 20 minutes,” Kane said. “It allowed not just (Messi), but the other players to grow into the game and feel more confident and ping balls into dangerous areas. In the end, it was too much for us to stop.”
Defender Dan Burn echoed those sentiments.
“Off the ball, we defended probably a little bit too deep,” Burn said. “With the quality of chances that Argentina were creating, I felt like it was a matter of time. ... To be 10 to 15 minutes away from the World Cup final — we really probably should have seen that through.”
Meanwhile, Martínez believed Argentina sensed England fading physically.
“They got tired,” Martínez said. “They pressed for 60 minutes and then just ran out of steam. They got their goal and then sat back. That gave us more composure to move the ball around and stretch the pitch.”
The defeat also added another painful chapter to England's World Cup history, becoming only the second team this century to score first in a semifinal and still miss out on the final, a list they now feature on twice after the 2018 loss to Croatia. Argentina, led once again by Messi's brilliance, remain on course to defend their world title against Spain.
