Argentina rally late to defeat England 2-1 in World Cup semifinal
Argentina scored two late goals to defeat England 2-1 in the World Cup semifinal on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The victory sends the reigning champions into the final against Spain.
England took the lead in the 55th minute when Anthony Gordon scored from close range after a pass from Morgan Rogers. The goal came after Declan Rice intercepted a clearance and set up Rogers. England appeared poised to reach their first World Cup final since 1966.
However, Argentina mounted a strong fightback. In the 85th minute, Lionel Messi found Enzo Fernandez on the edge of the box, and Fernandez fired a shot past goalkeeper Jordan Pickford into the corner to level the score. Then, in second-half stoppage time (92nd minute), Messi drove down the right flank and crossed for substitute Lautaro Martinez, who headed home the winner. Martinez had entered the match in the 81st minute.
Martinez said after the match, “This is really emotional. The first time my dad bought me a pair of boots, I always dreamed of scoring this goal. It was really tough today. Enzo scored a brilliant goal and I’m confident this team is continuing to show what it’s made of.”
England captain Harry Kane expressed disappointment: “Just gutted for the boys, gutted for everyone, the team, the staff, the fans. We played a good game for the large majority of it. Once we went 1-0 up, we seemed to just try and hold on. At this level, it’s not enough. Gutted because we’ve worked so hard to be here and the lads have given every last bit of running, sweat, blood, tears, whatever it is. So to fall short like we did today ... just gutted.”
The match added another chapter to the storied rivalry between Argentina and England, which includes memorable World Cup clashes and political undertones. Argentina’s supporters vastly outnumbered England’s, creating a lively atmosphere in the stadium.
Both teams had navigated tough paths to the semifinal. Argentina, led by 39-year-old Lionel Messi in what is expected to be his final World Cup, relied on resilience and late-game heroics. England, under manager Thomas Tuchel, had shown strong form but could not hold on to their lead.
Argentina will now face Spain in the World Cup final, aiming to defend their title from 2022.
