Argentina advances to World Cup final with dramatic comeback against England
The victory marks Argentina’s second consecutive knockout-stage comeback and secures a meeting with the reigning European champions in New Jersey on Sunday.
Argentina has secured its place in the FIFA World Cup final after overturning a deficit to defeat England 2-1 in the semifinal held in Atlanta on Wednesday. The result sends the South American side into a showdown with Spain, who reached the final earlier this week by defeating France 2-0 in Arlington, Texas.
Coach Lionel Scaloni described the victory as “epic squared,” a reference to the team’s previous last-16 comeback against Egypt. Scaloni noted that the squad sensed an opportunity when England sat back after taking a 1-0 lead. “There was blood in the water, and we went for it,” he said, highlighting the team’s refusal to accept the deficit.
The match featured intense pressure from Argentina, who struck the crossbar and post multiple times. Scaloni acknowledged that despite having “six or seven chances” to equalise, the team’s persistence was critical. The breakthrough came in the 85th minute when Enzo Fernandez scored with a powerful strike, restoring parity in the contest.
This result marks a historic milestone for the tournament, as Argentina became the first team to score multiple winning goals in second-half stoppage time in a single World Cup. The victory also extends Scaloni’s record of success, marking his fourth straight major title with the national team, following Copa America wins in 2021 and 2024, and the 2022 World Cup triumph.
The upcoming final in New Jersey will feature the top two ranked teams in the FIFA rankings for the first time since the ranking system was introduced in 1992. Spain, the reigning European champions, will face Argentina in what promises to be a decisive encounter for global football supremacy.
