Argentina defeats England 2-1 to reach World Cup final

Argentina scored two late goals to defeat England 2-1 in a dramatic World Cup semifinal on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, in Atlanta, securing a place in the final against Spain. The defending champions mounted a stunning comeback at Mercedes-Benz Stadium after trailing for most of the second half, ending England's quest for a first World Cup final appearance since 1966.

England took the lead in the 55th minute when Anthony Gordon finished from a Morgan Rogers cross. Argentina, however, dominated possession thereafter. The equalizer came in the 85th minute through a powerful long-range strike from Enzo Fernández, assisted by captain Lionel Messi. With the match seemingly headed for extra time, substitute Lautaro Martínez headed in a cross from Messi in the second minute of stoppage time to complete the turnaround.

The nature of the defeat prompted immediate criticism of England manager Thomas Tuchel's tactical decisions. Following Gordon's goal, Tuchel made a series of defensive substitutions, including replacing the goalscorer with defender Ezri Konsa in the 72nd minute and shifting to a five-man defense. Post-match statistics indicated England averaged just 12 percent possession...