Messi Magic Breaks England’s World Cup Dream

Lionel Messi set up two stunning late goals to send Argentina past England 2-1 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinal — sending the defending champions back to the final for the second straight tournament.

Story Highlights

Argentina trailed England 1-0 going into the 85th minute before scoring twice in seven minutes to win 2-1.
Enzo Fernández equalized in the 85th minute, and substitute Lautaro Martínez headed in the winner in the 92nd minute — both assisted by Messi.
Anthony Gordon gave England the lead in the 55th minute with a goal set up by Morgan Rogers.
Argentina will face Spain in the World Cup Final on July 19, 2026.

England Takes the Lead — Then Messi Takes Over

The match was played July 15 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. England drew first blood in the 55th minute when Morgan Rogers crossed into the box and Anthony Gordon touched it home to give the Three Lions a 1-0 lead. England held that advantage for nearly 30 minutes, looking like they might finally end a 60-year wait for a men’s World Cup final appearance.

Then Messi stepped up. In the 85th minute, the Argentine captain set up Enzo Fernández, who fired a long-range strike past the England keeper to level the score at 1-1. Just seven minutes later, in the 92nd minute, Messi again found the right man — substitute Lautaro Martínez, who headed the ball into the net to complete the comeback and seal a 2-1 Argentina win.

A Comeback That Fits a Pattern

Argentina’s late-game heroics were nothing new. The defending champions have made a habit of pulling off dramatic reversals on the biggest stages. In the 2022 World Cup, Argentina trailed Australia before scoring in the 79th, 83rd, and 92nd minutes to win 3-2. This time, the script looked almost identical — trailing late, then finding a way through with Messi pulling the strings.

England’s collapse drew immediate scrutiny. Manager Thomas Tuchel made substitutions late in the game that drew criticism, swapping out midfield starters Declan Rice and Reece James in the 82nd minute for two defenders. Argentina scored twice in the ten minutes that followed. The official England Football website noted that the loss ended England’s 2026 World Cup campaign at the semifinal stage.

Argentina Heads to the Final — England Heads Home

Argentina will now face Spain in the World Cup Final on July 19. A win would give Argentina back-to-back World Cup titles — something only Italy (1934, 1938) and Brazil (1958, 1962) have ever done. For England, the loss stings. They had reached only their second men’s World Cup semifinal since winning the whole tournament at home in 1966, and they fell just short of the final once again.

Argentina STUN England in dramatic World Cup semifinal! 🇦🇷⚽

Down 1-0 until the 85th minute, the defending champions never gave up. Enzo Fernández leveled it, then Lautaro Martínez headed home the winner in stoppage time off a Messi cross! 1/2 https://t.co/YTAIyFUKdm

— Ryan Peterson (@peterson_ryan9) July 16, 2026

There is also a scheduling factor worth noting. Research shows that in 13 of the last 14 men’s and women’s World Cup and European Championship finals, the team that played its semifinal one day earlier went on to win the championship. England played its semifinal on the same day as Argentina, so that historical edge does not apply here — but Argentina’s path to the final was still the harder road, and Messi made it look inevitable.