Defending champions Argentina booked a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final for the second straight time after beating England 2-1 in the second semifinal at a stadium in Atlanta. Two goals scored within the final seven minutes of the match completely turned the contest around, with a team that looked set to lose suddenly celebrating victory in the closing moments.
How Argentina turned the match around in seven minutes
Argentina had been trailing 1-0 for much of the match and looked on the brink of an exit. In the 85th minute, Argentina scored an equaliser to level the score at 1-1. The team kept up the pressure and then struck again in the second minute of stoppage time, the 90+2 mark, to seal a 2-1 win. The gap between the two goals was barely a few minutes, and it left England's camp stunned.
The road to the semifinal: wins over Egypt and Switzerland
Argentina's run to the semifinal was full of twists. In the knockout rounds, Argentina faced Egypt and pulled off a dramatic comeback in the final ten minutes to win 3-2 and reach the quarterfinal. After that defeat, Egypt accused FIFA of unfair treatment and of favouring Messi. Argentina then met Switzerland in the quarterfinal, where the team once again showed fighting spirit to win 3-1 and book a semifinal spot. During that match, Messi also set a world record.
Argentina to face Spain in the final
With the win over England, Argentina reached the final for the second consecutive time and for the seventh time overall. Argentina will now face Spain in the title clash. England, who lost the semifinal, will not return home empty handed either, as they will play France in the third place match.
