Argentina beats England 2-1 in World Cup semifinal

England's quest for a first men's World Cup title since 1966 ended in a dramatic 2-1 semifinal defeat to defending champions Argentina on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, in Atlanta. The loss, sealed by a stoppage-time winner, extended the nation's long wait for a major trophy after a painful late collapse.

Anthony Gordon gave England the advantage in the 55th minute, finishing from a cross by Morgan Rogers. Following the goal, manager Thomas Tuchel opted for a defensive approach, bringing on additional defenders to protect the lead. The strategy backfired as Argentina, inspired by captain Lionel Messi, mounted increasing pressure. Enzo Fernandez equalized with a long-range effort in the 85th minute before Messi delivered a cross for Lautaro Martinez to head home the decisive goal deep into added time.

In the aftermath, England captain Harry Kane expressed the collective devastation, describing an "empty feeling" and acknowledging the difficulty of falling short after coming so close. In a social media post, he wrote that the team had given everything over seven weeks but was again missing the "final piece of the jigsaw." He vowed that the squad would learn from the experience and go...