Argentina Stun England 2-1, Set Up World Cup Final Against Spain
ATLANTA, July 15, 2026 – Argentina reached the World Cup final with a dramatic 2-1 comeback win over England on Wednesday, setting up a title match against Spain.
England led through Anthony Gordon’s 55th-minute goal, but Argentina turned the semifinal in the final minutes. Enzo Fernandez equalized in the 85th minute before Lautaro Martinez scored the stoppage-time winner from a Lionel Messi assist, according to the Associated Press.
The result sends Argentina to East Rutherford, New Jersey, for Sunday’s final against Spain. England will instead face France in the third-place match after a defeat that will be remembered for how close it came to ending differently.
Messi’s role in the winner added another chapter to his late-career World Cup story. AP reported that he remained central to Argentina’s attack and entered the final stretch of the tournament in the Golden Boot race.
The match carried the weight of one of international football’s most charged rivalries, but the decisive story was Argentina’s refusal to let the game drift away after England took control of the scoreboard.
For England, the loss extends a painful pattern of near misses in major tournaments. For Argentina, it keeps alive the chance to defend the title won in 2022 and deliver one more defining moment for a generation already rich in them.
What happens next
Argentina now turn to Spain, whose semifinal win over France set up a final between two teams with enough technical quality and history to make Sunday one of the most anticipated matches of the tournament.
