Enzo Fernández sparks Argentina comeback to beat England in World Cup semifinal

Enzo Fernández bent the semifinal back toward Argentina in the 85th minute, driving a shot from outside the area past Jordan Pickford to make it 1-1 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Lionel Messi supplied the assist on the equalizer, and the goal instantly changed the rhythm of a match that England had carried deep into the final stages.

Argentina finished the job with a 2-1 win over England and booked a place in its second consecutive World Cup final, where Spain will await. The comeback gave Argentina another late rescue on the biggest stage, with the equalizer serving as the moment that cracked England’s grip and opened the door for the decisive finish.

The shot itself was simple and ruthless: Messi found Fernández, Fernández took aim from distance, and Pickford had no answer. The timing mattered as much as the technique. With only minutes left, Argentina needed a clean strike to reset the semifinal, and Fernández delivered it at a point when the margin for error had vanished.

The emotional surge spread beyond the field. Antonela Roccuzzo, Messi’s wife, was captured in a stadium box reacting to the equalizer with tears and visible celebration, and the images moved quickly across social media. The footage resonated with Argentina fans watching across the country, turning one goal into a shared release that matched the scale of the moment.

By the time Argentina completed the turnaround, the semifinal had shifted from England control to Argentine momentum. Fernández’s equalizer did more than level the score. It changed the mood inside the stadium, energized Argentina’s push, and set up a finish that sent the defending power into another final with Spain.