Argentina’s Amazing 2-1 Comeback Stuns England to Reach World Cup Final

If you missed it while catching some sleep before dawn, here’s the short version:
Argentina vs England ended 2-1 to Argentina, capping off one of the most dramatic semifinals of this World Cup. England had led for most of the second half through Anthony Gordon’s 55th-minute goal, but Argentina responded with two goals in the space of six minutes to complete a stunning turnaround. Argentina now advance to Sunday’s final, while England will play for third place instead.

Argentina Comeback vs England World Cup: How It Happened

For long stretches, this didn’t look like a match heading toward a comeback. Gordon gave England the lead by tapping home a cross from Morgan Rogers during a quick transition, and for a while it seemed that goal might be enough to send England through. But this Argentina squad has made a habit of finding a way back into games when it matters most.

Enzo Fernández pulled Argentina level with an 85th-minute long-range strike, and Lautaro Martínez then headed home the winner in second-half stoppage time. Lionel Messi was credited with assists on both goals, extending a tournament in which he’s continued to be the difference-maker whenever Argentina have needed him most.

Looking at the underlying numbers, Argentina finished with an expected goals tally well ahead of England’s, having created far more chances across the match despite England’s early control of the scoreline. It’s the kind of statistical gap that suggests this Argentina vs England result, dramatic as it looked in the closing minutes, wasn’t entirely against the run of play. You can check the full breakdown of shots, possession, and match stats on FIFA’s official match centre if you want to see exactly how one-sided the underlying numbers were.

If you want the full breakdown of how both sides got here, our semifinals preview covers the build-up, and our piece on England’s road through the knockout stage has more on how Tuchel’s side reached this point.

World Cup Final 2026: What’s Next

With this result, the picture for the rest of the tournament is now clear. Argentina will face Spain in Sunday’s final, after Spain eliminated France 2-0 in Tuesday’s other semifinal. It sets up a final built around two contrasting stories — Messi chasing another title with Argentina, against a Spain side built on a deep, next-generation squad. It’s also a rare shot at history: no team has defended the World Cup in exactly this fashion in decades, which adds another layer of weight to Sunday’s match.

For Malaysian fans planning to catch every remaining match of this World Cup final 2026 stretch, our World Cup schedule guide has kickoff times converted to Malaysia Time, along with details on the third-place playoff between England and France later this week.

Why This Result Matters

This wasn’t just another semifinal — it continued a run of dramatic, close-margin results that have defined Argentina’s tournament. If you’ve been following our earlier coverage of the tournament’s biggest stars, Messi’s role in both goals tonight is exactly the kind of moment that piece pointed toward.

For fans keeping track of every twist this tournament has thrown up, this comeback joins the list of results nobody quite saw coming. The final four is now down to two, and Sunday’s match at MetLife Stadium will decide who lifts the trophy.

There’s also a personal angle worth sitting with. Messi has now played a direct hand in some of Argentina’s biggest moments across this tournament, and Wednesday’s win adds another chapter to that story. Whether or not this ends up being his last World Cup, it’s hard to imagine a more fitting way to keep the run going than setting up both goals in a comeback this dramatic. England, for their part, will have plenty to reflect on — a promising second-half start undone by a defensive lapse late on, the kind of margin that separates finalists from third-place contenders at this level.