Messi and Scaloni share emotional embrace after Argentina reaches final

Lionel Messi and Lionel Scaloni held a long, emotional embrace after Argentina’s 2-1 semifinal win over England at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, a moment that captured how tightly the team has been bound together on the road to another World Cup final. Messi then moved across the pitch hugging teammates and staff, before ending the night on his knees in tears after Argentina sealed a place in Sunday’s final against Spain at MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey.

Argentina had trailed 1-0 before turning the match on its head in the final minutes. Messi created both goals, setting up Enzo Fernández’s equalizer in the 85th minute and Lautaro Martínez’s header in stoppage time. The comeback completed a reversal that carried Argentina into its second straight World Cup final and left the defending champions one step from a fourth star.

The emotional weight of the finish was visible everywhere. Messi’s reaction at the final whistle, followed by the prolonged embrace with Scaloni, became the defining image of the night. Scaloni, visibly moved after the match, said the team had “olió sangre” when England dropped deeper to protect its lead, a sign of the urgency Argentina sensed and punished in the closing stages. FIFA also highlighted the intensity of the finish and the connection between the players and Argentina’s supporters during the late surge.

The result gave Argentina a chance to defend the title it won in Qatar 2022 and extend an era defined by Messi and Scaloni as much as by the trophies. For Argentina, reaching a second consecutive final is more than a statistical milestone: it is proof that the structure around the captain has held under maximum pressure, from the opening deficit against England to the decisive stoppage-time strike that sent the holders through. One match now stands between Argentina and a fourth world title, with Messi and Scaloni at the center of it again.