Argentina show why they're World Cup champs with e...

Lizzy Becherano

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Tom Hamilton

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Tom Hamilton

Senior Writer

• Joined ESPN in 2011

• Covered two Olympics, a pair of Rugby World Cups and two British & Irish Lions tours

• Previously rugby editor, and became senior writer in 2018

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James Olley

Jul 15, 2026, 05:47 PM ET

ATLANTA -- Argentina kept alive their dream of back-to-back World Cup wins by stunning England with a late comeback in a 2-1 semifinal victory in Atlanta on Wednesday.

England, attempting to reach their first final since 1966, looked set to end their 60-year wait after Anthony Gordon gave them the lead early in the second half. And as Argentina poured forward in search of a way back into the game, a series of world-class saves by England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and unlucky finishing kept the world champions searching for an equalizer.

But a 20-yard strike by Enzo Fernández on 85 minutes brought Argentina back into the game, before Lautaro Martínez won it with a header from Lionel Messi's cross three minutes into stoppage time.

Argentina will face European champions Spain in Sunday's final at New York/New Jersey Stadium. -- Mark Ogden

Argentina's World Cup experience wins the day

Argentina have reached the World Cup final once again, and though Martínez's late header into the back of the net secured Argentina the triumph, the entire team carried La Albiceleste to a second straight final.

Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister previously discussed the importance of having World Cup semifinal experience, after they reached this stage in 2014 and 2022. "Obviously having the experience of playing in a World Cup semifinal is a plus, but it doesn't guarantee anything," Mac Allister said Tuesday.

And it was a plus. Argentina stayed calm and organized when necessary before pouncing on England when needed. Messi read the game perfectly, finding space for Fernández's goal. He did it once more for Martínez.

From the sidelines, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni made the correct calls to keep his team competitive. He made a questionable substitution in the starting lineup when replacing Rodrigo De Paul with Giuliano Simeone, but he corrected his errors in the second half. -- Lizzy Becherano

Incredible scenes in Buenos Aires as Martinez gives Argentina the lead

Six decades of pain continue for England

Once again, football is not "coming home."

England coach Thomas Tuchel has sought to dissociate this England team from the years of hurt the "Three Lions" song expresses so vividly, instead playing up the progress the team has made in recent tournaments before taking charge.

It threatened to feel different this time -- beating Mexico at Estadio Azteca is an iconic victory England can point to as proof for years to come that they can handle the toughest occasions. But ultimately they have come up short against the best team they faced at this tournament, and the 60-year wait for a major trophy goes on.

It always seems to be this way. Mexico were indeed a ferocious test, but they were ranked 14th in the world. Once again, they were unable to find a way past one of the top sides: Think Italy in 2020, France in 2022 and Spain two years ago. Home advantage will be theirs at the next tournament, Euro 2028, but it still feels as though there is a glass ceiling England just cannot break. -- James Olley

Scaloni's changes steer Argentina to win

England hired Champions League-winning coach Tuchel to end their desperate wait for international success, but the former Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain boss was outdone by Argentina's underestimated Scaloni.

Scaloni is often dismissed simply as a guy without a pedigree in the club game and somebody who simply knows how to keep Messi happy. But Scaloni has won a World Cup and two Copa America trophies with Argentina, and he is on the brink of a second World Cup because he outsmarted Tuchel with his substitutions when it really mattered.

With England attempting to defend their lead, Tuchel went negative with his changes, introducing defenders Ezri Konsa, Dan Burn and Nico O'Reilly before finally using attacking changes with Marcus Rashford and Ivan Toney after Argentina had taken the lead. Tuchel should have freshened his attacking options and injected more pace and threat, but he chose to defend.

Scaloni went for broke with Nico González offering threat from midfield and Rodrigo De Paul also pushing the team forward. Defensive substitutions were forced on Scaloni, but with his team trailing 1-0, he chased a way back into the game, and his 81st-minute introduction of Martínez was a game changer.

Martínez gave England's defense several problems, and he delivered the killer blow with his winning goal in the third minute of stoppage time. -- Ogden

Luck runs out for Tuchel as England fail to break cycle

England were five minutes plus stoppage time from a World Cup final. And they were that close following a plan that had served them well against Mexico and Norway: Defend a lead with a back five out of possession.

But the way they surrendered the initiative here felt reminiscent of past tournament exits, losing too much territory and inviting too much pressure to lose a lead, just as they did in the 2018 World Cup semifinal against Croatia and the Euro 2020 final (which they lost on penalties). England had just three shots after Gordon put them ahead and nothing after the 78th minute.

Leboeuf: Tuchel is responsible for England semifinal loss

Perhaps they had nothing left to give physically after the draining altitude of Mexico and the sweltering 120 minutes in Miami against Norway. But former coach Gareth Southgate was heavily criticized for his conservative substitutions as England were unable to close out winning positions in the latter stages of tournaments, and Tuchel might now face something similar given that Argentina -- and, inevitably, Messi -- were given the chance to change the momentum so quickly in their favor. -- Olley

Fernández the thorn in England's sign

From the start, it was clear Fernández was up for this one. He landed one on the back of Elliot Anderson's head in the third minute and continued to hassle and hurry the England midfielder for the first quarter. He was being a chief irritant -- and that's praise. He is the sort of player who if he's on your side, you adore. If you're playing against him, you'll be keen to clip his heels at every opportunity.

It was inevitable that Fernández would have some say in this match. He tested Pickford in the first half with that long-range effort, but it was in the 85th minute where he had his momentum-swinging contribution. England gave Argentina too much space off a corner, and Messi found Fernández on the edge of England's box. He took a brief look at Pickford's goal and found the corner of Pickford's net. He was soon in front of the vast numbers of Argentina's fans celebrating, and they showed their adoration. It was a match-winning performance from the Argentina man.

It's worth also mentioning his midfield partner Mac Allister, who put in quite a shift. Twice he struck the woodwork, and those moments gave Argentina even more encouragement to take things up a gear. -- Tom Hamilton