ATLANTA, July 16, (V7N) – Lautaro Martinez scored a dramatic 92nd-minute winner as Lionel Messi inspired World Cup holders Argentina to a stunning 2-1 comeback victory over England on Wednesday, setting up a blockbuster final with European champions Spain.
England had been on course to reach their first World Cup final since 1966 after Anthony Gordon fired them into the lead 10 minutes after half-time in front of 68,239 fans at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium. But this great rivalry, which has produced some of the tournament's most memorable moments, delivered another chapter for the ages as Argentina landed two late sucker punches to break English hearts.
Messi, the 39-year-old captain who continues to defy time, set up Enzo Fernandez for an 85th-minute equaliser before crossing for substitute Martinez to head home the winner in the second minute of stoppage time. The celebrations that followed were chaotic, with Argentina's players holding up a banner reading "Las Malvinas son Argentinas" (The Falklands are Argentine) — a powerful statement given the lingering sovereignty dispute over the South Atlantic islands.
Messi's Magic Turns the Tide
For much of the match, it seemed England would finally exorcise their World Cup demons. Gordon's 55th-minute strike, a clinical finish at the back post from Morgan Rogers' low cross, had given Thomas Tuchel's side a deserved lead in a tense, niggly contest. Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane, who had scored 12 of England's 13 goals coming into the semi-final, were kept quiet by a resolute Argentina defence, but the Three Lions appeared to have done enough.
Yet this was the same stadium where Argentina produced a stunning comeback from 2-0 down to beat Egypt in the last 16. And just as they did against the Pharaohs, Scaloni's men refused to accept their fate.
The equaliser came when Messi, picking up the ball on the edge of the area, slipped a perfectly weighted pass to Fernandez. The midfielder controlled, shifted the ball onto his right foot, and fired a low drive past Jordan Pickford. The England goalkeeper, who had made a brilliant save from Nico Gonzalez moments earlier, could only watch as the ball nestled into the far corner.
Argentina smelled blood. Alexis Mac Allister, who had earlier hit the post, struck the woodwork again before Martinez applied the decisive finish. Messi's exquisite cross from the right found the Inter Milan striker unmarked, and his downward header bounced past Pickford to spark scenes of pure delirium among the Argentine contingent.
Lautaro's Dream Come True
For Martinez, it was a moment he had been waiting for since childhood. "I dreamt it. I told Alexis (Mac Allister) that I was going to score," said the 28-year-old, who was sent on in the 81st minute in place of left-back Nicolas Tagliafico. "And I said on the bench to Facundo Medina that I was going to come on and score."
"When my old man first bought me a pair of boots, I always dreamed of scoring this goal," added an emotional Martinez, who lost his place in Scaloni's starting XI during the 2022 World Cup triumph but has played a crucial role this time around.
"He started all three group games, scoring in the 3-1 win over Jordan, but was substituted in the narrow victory over Cape Verde and has not started since. Nevertheless, he came on to score in the 3-1 extra-time defeat of Switzerland before his decisive role against England."
"Now we need to get some rest but also enjoy this because what we are doing is not easy — getting back to the final as defending champions three-and-a-half years after winning it," Martinez added.
England's Heartbreak
For England, the defeat was a cruel blow. The prospect of a first World Cup final appearance since their sole triumph 60 years ago was within touching distance, but they will live to regret sitting back after Gordon's opener.
Tuchel, whose side will now face France in Saturday's third-place play-off in Miami — a game neither team will want to contest — refused to blame his players. "We were so close," he said. "It's a bitter pill to swallow. But we have to pick ourselves up and finish the tournament on a positive note."
Declan Rice, who had been struggling with illness, started but was unable to impose himself on the game. Kane and Bellingham, who had carried England's attacking burden throughout the tournament, were subdued, and Argentina's midfield dominance — particularly through Fernandez and Mac Allister — proved decisive.
England's players slumped to the turf at full-time, their dreams shattered in the cruellest fashion. For a nation that has endured decades of World Cup heartbreak, this will go down as one of the most painful defeats of all.
The Falklands Shadow
The match was played against a backdrop of political tension. Argentina's Vice President Victoria Villarruel had upped the stakes before kick-off by calling the English "usurping pirates," despite Scaloni's efforts to keep the focus on football.
"The reality is this is a football match," Scaloni had said in recent days. "I am not going to mix everything up, especially regarding things that happened so long ago. It was a very sad time in our history and we can't do much about it."
But Argentina's players made their feelings clear with the post-match banner, invoking the Falklands/Malvinas dispute that saw Britain reclaim the islands in a brief but bloody war in 1982, claiming 649 Argentine and 255 British lives.
Road to the Final
Argentina now face Spain in Sunday's final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Luis de la Fuente's side produced a masterclass to beat favourites France 2-0 in the other semi-final, with Pedro Porro and a Mikel Oyarzabal penalty sealing the win.
Spain have not lost in 38 matches, their last defeat coming against Colombia in March 2024. They will be formidable opponents, but Argentina have shown time and again that they can never be counted out.
Messi, who has scored eight goals in the tournament, will become just the second player after Brazilian great Cafu to appear in three World Cup finals. His career appeared complete when he lifted the trophy in 2022, but he is clearly not done yet.
No team has retained the World Cup since Brazil in 1962. On Sunday, Argentina have the chance to make history. For England, it is back to the drawing board — a familiar feeling, but one that hurts more than ever this time.
