Argentina rallies past England, advances to World Cup final against Spain

Argentina shook off a one-goal deficit and beat England 2-1 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Wednesday, scoring twice in the final five minutes to reach the World Cup final against Spain. The defending champions trailed 1-0 going into the closing stretch before Enzo Fernández equalized in the 85th minute and substitute Lautaro Martínez finished the comeback in stoppage time.

The semifinal carried the feel of a rivalry game from the opening whistle. Neither side recorded a shot in the first 30 minutes, and the first half produced 19 fouls, a sharp measure of how physical the match became in Atlanta. Anthony Gordon put England ahead in the 55th minute, and Argentina spent much of the second half trying to break England’s structure before finding the decisive openings late.

Lionel Messi set up both Argentina goals, turning a tense semifinal into a showcase of composure under pressure. Fernández arrived first to punish England’s late drop in concentration, and Martínez, on as a substitute, delivered the winner after Argentina had absorbed the emotional weight of a game that FIFA has framed as one of World Cup football’s most storied fixtures. The result kept Argentina’s bid alive to become the first men’s team since Brazil in 1958 and 1962 to win consecutive World Cups.

Spain will face Argentina in the final on Sunday, July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, after beating France 2-0 in the other semifinal. England will play France in the third-place match on Saturday, July 18, 2026. Argentina’s path to the final has run through Algeria, Austria, Jordan, Cabo Verde, Egypt, Switzerland and now England, a sequence that has left Lionel Scaloni’s side one win from a rare place in the sport’s history.