Lionel Messi once again proved why he is regarded as one of football’s greatest-ever players, orchestrating a stunning late comeback as Argentina defeated England 2-1 to book their place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.
The 39-year-old produced two decisive assists in the closing stages at the Atlanta Stadium, dragging the defending champions back from the brink of elimination and setting up a mouth-watering final against European champions Spain on Sunday.
For much of the evening, England looked destined to end their 60-year wait for a World Cup final appearance. Thomas Tuchel’s side frustrated Argentina for long spells before Anthony Gordon fired the Three Lions into the lead in the 55th minute, finishing neatly from Morgan Rogers’ inviting cross.
However, with their title defence hanging by a thread, Argentina turned to their talisman. Messi, who has repeatedly delivered on the biggest stage throughout the tournament, sparked the comeback with five minutes of normal time remaining. The Argentine captain slipped a perfectly weighted pass into Enzo Fernández, who unleashed a thunderous strike from outside the box beyond Jordan Pickford to level the contest.
The equaliser transformed the momentum completely, as Argentina poured forward in search of a winner while England struggled to withstand the relentless pressure from Lionel Scaloni’s men.
Deep into stoppage time, Messi produced another moment of brilliance. Spotting Lautaro Martínez’s run into the penalty area, the veteran forward delivered an inch-perfect cross that the substitute powered home with a towering header to complete an extraordinary comeback.
The dramatic victory sends Argentina into a third consecutive World Cup final as they continue their quest to defend the title they won in Qatar four years ago.
Messi’s latest masterclass further strengthened his case as the tournament’s standout performer. The Argentine captain now has eight goals and four assists at the World Cup, remaining firmly in contention for the Golden Boot while continuing to rewrite football history in what is expected to be his final appearance on the global stage.
After the match, Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni praised the resilience and mentality of his players.
Head coach Thomas Tuchel defended his team’s performance, insisting there were no regrets despite falling agonisingly short.
The semi-final also carried political undertones, with tensions surrounding the Falkland Islands dispute resurfacing before and after the match. Following the final whistle, several Argentina players celebrated by displaying a banner reading “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” (“The Falklands are Argentine”).
Attention now turns to Sunday’s final in New Jersey, where football fans will witness a dream showdown between two continental champions.
Spain arrive after tactically dismantling France 2-0 in the other semi-final, while Argentina carry the momentum of another Messi-inspired comeback.
For Messi, the final presents another opportunity to cap an extraordinary international career by leading Argentina to back-to-back World Cup titles. Standing in his way is a young, dynamic Spanish side eager to reclaim football’s biggest prize for the first time since 2010.
