Argentina Completes Comeback Against England to Reach World Cup Final
Translated from German, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Argentina reached the 2026 World Cup final after a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory over England.
- England took the lead, but Argentina scored two late goals to secure their place in the final.
- Argentina will face Spain in the final, while England will compete for third place against France.
Argentina is one step away from defending its World Cup title after a thrilling 2-1 semifinal victory against England in Atlanta. The reigning champions came from behind with two late goals to book their spot in Sunday's final against European champions Spain.
England had taken the lead in the 55th minute through Anthony Gordon, but Argentina responded decisively in the closing stages. Enzo Fernandez equalized in the 85th minute, and Lautaro Martinez scored the winning goal in the 92nd minute, completing a remarkable turnaround.
The match was intense, reflecting the historical and political significance often associated with encounters between England and Argentina. While Argentinian coach Lionel Scaloni and some players sought to downplay the political subtext, Vice President Victoria Villarruel had previously invoked the Falklands War. The atmosphere in the stadium was palpable, with crowd noise making the national anthems difficult to hear.
Argentina will now face Spain in the final, aiming to emulate Brazil's feat of winning consecutive World Cups in 1958 and 1962. For England, the tournament concludes with a third-place playoff against France.
Originally published by Die Presse in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.