After being dominated for long stretches, Argentina finally broke down England late in the match (2-1) and will defend their world title against Spain.
Argentina’s World Cup 2026 dream lives on. In a tense and hard-fought semifinal, the Albiceleste snatched a ticket to the final by toppling England (2-1) at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The reigning world champions will now face Spain as they aim to retain their crown.
Read also: World Cup 2026: At halftime, the battle rages between England and Argentina (0-0)
A first half to forget
The opening period was more of a battle than a football match. Both teams piled up fouls and engaged in fierce duels, ultimately setting an unfortunate record. According to Opta, this was the first match in World Cup history since 1966 to reach the 30-minute mark without a single shot from either side.
However, the script flipped entirely after the break. Against the run of play, Anthony Gordon put England ahead in the 55th minute with a finish from a Morgan Rogers assist, giving the Three Lions hope of a historic qualification.
Scaloni’s game-changing substitutions
Trailing on the scoreboard, Argentina seized control with nearly 65% possession. The introductions of Lautaro Martínez and Rodrigo De Paul breathed new life into the Albiceleste, who began to suffocate their opponents.
The reward finally came late on. First, it was Enzo Fernández with a thunderous strike in the 85th minute, and then, deep into stoppage time, Lautaro Martínez headed home a perfect Lionel Messi cross to seal victory (90+2). Argentina are now set for their second consecutive World Cup final and a mouthwatering showdown against Spain.
Lionel Messi’s VERY LIKELY LAST MATCH in CDM will therefore be A FINAL! 🤯🐐🇦🇷▫️The 3rd final of his career🥈 CDM 2014🏆 CDM 2022🆕 CDM 2026 FINALAt 39 years old, the CDM that he gave us anyway… IT’S VERY SERIOUS, thank you for your football. 👏👕 7 matches⚽️ 8… pic.twitter.com/J6A4hhoCmF
— Footballogue (@Footballogue) July 15, 2026
Piala Dunia 2026
Piala Dunia FIFA 2026 akan menjadi edisi paling revolusioner dalam sejarah sepak bola dunia. Turnamen ini untuk pertama kalinya akan diselenggarakan di tiga negara sekaligus, yaitu Amerika Serikat, Kanada, dan Meksiko. Selain itu, jumlah peserta juga meningkat dari 32 menjadi 48 tim, membuka peluang lebih besar bagi negara-negara dari berbagai konfederasi untuk tampil di panggung global. Format baru ini akan menghadirkan lebih banyak pertandingan, atmosfer kompetisi yang lebih luas, serta jangkauan penonton yang semakin besar di seluruh dunia.
Dengan skala yang jauh lebih besar, FIFA menargetkan turnamen ini sebagai ajang yang tidak hanya kompetitif tetapi juga spektakuler dari sisi teknologi dan pengalaman penonton. Stadion-stadion modern di berbagai kota tuan rumah telah dipersiapkan untuk menghadirkan pertandingan berkelas dunia, didukung oleh inovasi seperti peningkatan sistem VAR dan pengalaman digital bagi fans. diprediksi akan menjadi tonggak baru dalam evolusi sepak bola internasional, memperkuat popularitas olahraga ini sekaligus menciptakan momen-momen bersejarah yang akan dikenang dalam waktu lama.
