World Cup 2026: Argentina come from behind to topple England and join Spain in the final

15.07.26 FT World Cup

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Argentina

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After being dominated for long stretches, Argentina finally broke down England late in the match (2-1) and will defend their world title against Spain.

Argentina's World Cup 2026 dream lives on. In a tense and hard-fought semifinal, the Albiceleste snatched a ticket to the final by toppling England (2-1) at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The reigning world champions will now face Spain as they aim to retain their crown.

Read also: World Cup 2026: At halftime, the battle rages between England and Argentina (0-0)

A first half to forget

The opening period was more of a battle than a football match. Both teams piled up fouls and engaged in fierce duels, ultimately setting an unfortunate record. According to Opta, this was the first match in World Cup history since 1966 to reach the 30-minute mark without a single shot from either side.

However, the script flipped entirely after the break. Against the run of play, Anthony Gordon put England ahead in the 55th minute with a finish from a Morgan Rogers assist, giving the Three Lions hope of a historic qualification.

Scaloni's game-changing substitutions

Trailing on the scoreboard, Argentina seized control with nearly 65% possession. The introductions of Lautaro Martínez and Rodrigo De Paul breathed new life into the Albiceleste, who began to suffocate their opponents.

The reward finally came late on. First, it was Enzo Fernández with a thunderous strike in the 85th minute, and then, deep into stoppage time, Lautaro Martínez headed home a perfect Lionel Messi cross to seal victory (90+2). Argentina are now set for their second consecutive World Cup final and a mouthwatering showdown against Spain.

Mahdi Zakaria LAZRI |

Editor

Football web writer creating digital sports content with a focus on news, analysis and stories that reflect passion, accuracy and objectivity.

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