Defending champion Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, defeated England 2-1 to advance to the final of the 2026 FIFA North America World Cup.
Argentina achieved this comeback victory on July 16 at the Atlanta Stadium in Georgia, USA. The team, which won the 2022 Qatar tournament, will now compete in consecutive finals. Throughout the knockout stage of this tournament, Argentina has won all four matches either in extra time or by coming from behind.
Argentina will face Spain for the championship trophy on July 20 at 4 a.m. at New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford. Spain secured its place in the final by defeating France 2-0 in the semifinal held the previous day.
If Argentina wins this tournament, it will become the third nation to achieve back-to-back World Cup victories, following Italy (1934 Italy, 1938 France) and Brazil (1958 Sweden, 1962 Chile). Additionally, it would mark Argentina's fourth World Cup title.
England's defeat means the team will miss its first final in 60 years since the 1966 home tournament. England will play France in the third-place match on July 19 at 6 a.m. at Miami Stadium in Florida.
During the match, Argentina fought fiercely in midfield throughout the first half, ending the period in a scoreless tie. However, in the 55th minute, they conceded a goal to England's Anthony Gordon, falling behind 1-0.
In response, Argentina ramped up its attack, utilizing Messi's dribbling and passing. They substituted Nicolás González in the 64th minute and Lautaro Martínez in the 80th minute to bolster their offensive presence.
Despite numerous attempts, Argentina struggled to find the equalizer, thwarted by England's goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and some misfortune hitting the post.
Finally, in the 85th minute, Argentina equalized. From a corner kick, Messi assisted Enzo Fernández, who scored with a powerful right-footed shot from outside the penalty area.
Buoyed by the goal, Argentina took the lead in stoppage time at 90+7 minutes. Messi delivered a cross from the right side, which Martínez headed into the net, making it 2-1.
Argentina held on to its lead in the remaining minutes, securing a thrilling comeback victory and a spot in the final.
Messi added two assists in the match, bringing his total to four assists (along with eight goals) in the tournament. According to the rules for ranking players tied in goals, Messi moved ahead of Kylian Mbappé (France, eight goals, three assists) to lead the scoring chart.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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