Argentina turns the tables on England with a last-minute goal and qualifies for the World Cup final

The Argentine national team reached the final of the 2026 World Cup after an exciting 2-1 victory over their English counterparts in the semifinal match, which was decided by a last-minute goal during injury time.

Both teams played a cautious and physically intense first half, with clear difficulty in creating chances due to defensive organization and tactical discipline on both sides.

England tried to press the ball carrier and keep Lionel Messi away from influential areas, while Argentina relied on possession and movement between the lines, but they were unable to reach the goal decisively during the first half of the match.

The first half ended goalless after a physical encounter that saw a large number of fouls, amid the tension surrounding one of the most historically sensitive clashes in world football.

England started the second half better and succeeded in opening the scoring in the 55th minute through Anthony Gordon, who capitalized on an organized attack and a cross from Morgan Rogers to put the ball in the net.

The goal gave the English team an important advantage and pushed Argentina to advance with more numbers in search of an equalizer, while England gradually retreated to protect their lead and try to exploit spaces through counterattacks.

The defending champions faced difficulty breaking through the English defense, but they maintained their pressure, continued to circulate the ball, and waited for the right moment, while the danger of Argentine attacks increased as the match neared its end.

In the 85th minute, Enzo Fernandez succeeded in scoring the equalizer, bringing Argentina back into the match and completely changing its course in the final minutes.

While it seemed the match was heading to extra time, Lautaro Martinez snatched the winning goal in the second minute of injury time, igniting the joy of Argentine fans and delivering a harsh blow to the English team.

England tried to come back in the remaining minutes, but Argentina maintained their lead and closed the spaces in front of the last attacks until the final whistle.

The victory reflects the Argentine team's ability to handle pressure and not give up after falling behind, as they needed only a few minutes to overturn the result and decide one of their toughest matches in the tournament.

The value of the Argentine bench also stood out, as Lautaro Martinez scored a decisive goal that reaffirmed his status as one of the most important offensive weapons of the team in major matches.

As for England, they paid the price for their retreat after scoring the first goal and failing to secure the match despite leading until the last five minutes, ending their hopes of reaching the World Cup final for the first time since their 1966 triumph.

With this win, Argentina continues their campaign to defend their world title, after a tough knockout journey that saw them overcome Egypt 3-2, then Switzerland 3-1, before defeating England in the semifinal.

Argentina will face Spain in the final on Sunday, July 19, after Spain qualified by defeating France 2-0.

The final will bring together a Spanish team seeking to win their second world title and an Argentine team aiming to retain the cup and add a new world title to their record.

Meanwhile, England will face France on Saturday in the third-place playoff, after both teams were eliminated in the semifinals by Argentina and Spain respectively.