Messi Did It Again, England Are Going Home, The World Cup Final Is Argentina vs Spain
Two goals in the last seven minutes, a nation heartbroken, a 39-year-old man who simply refuses to lose - Wednesday night in Atlanta was something else entirely.
England were winning.
For 84 minutes on Wednesday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, England were winning, leading Argentina 1-0 through Anthony Gordon's 55th minute finish, playing with the kind of controlled confidence that had sixty years of hurt beginning to feel like it might finally end, and then Lionel Messi picked up the ball.
What happened next will be talked about for a very long time.
Enzo Fernández equalised in the 85th minute, heading home a cross that only Messi could have delivered at that moment in that match with that much at stake, and then before England had properly recovered, before the shock of conceding had fully settled, Lautaro Martínez rose to meet another Messi cross in stoppage time and headed Argentina into the World Cup final.
Two goals, both assisted by Messi and in the last seven minutes. Argentina 2-1 England.
It was Argentina's fourth consecutive comeback in the knockout rounds of this tournament, having survived Cape Verde in extra time, overturned a 2-0 deficit against Egypt, navigated a shorthanded Switzerland side in the quarterfinals and now broken English hearts in a semifinal that Argentina had no business winning with eight minutes left, but won anyway because they have Messi and Messi does not do things the easy way when the dramatic way is available.
England were not poor. They matched Argentina for large stretches, defended resolutely, created chances and led for the better part of thirty minutes in the second half, but Thomas Tuchel's decision to sit deeper after the goal, to protect rather than extend, allowed Argentina to push forward with increasing urgency and Messi to find the spaces that a more aggressive defensive line might have denied him.
For England it is another semifinal exit, another almost, another tournament that ends before the final, and for Harry Kane, who played his ninth major tournament without a winner's medal, the question of whether this England generation will ever go all the way remains painfully open.
For Argentina it is the World Cup final, Sunday July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, against Spain, who eliminated France 2-0 on Tuesday in Dallas, and the prospect of Messi versus Lamine Yamal, the 39-year-old icon against the 16-year-old phenomenon, the man who invented the template against the boy who is rewriting it, is the kind of sporting narrative that comes along once in a generation.
Spain are the only unbeaten team left in the tournament, they have not conceded a single goal in their last three matches and they have looked the most complete side throughout, but Argentina have Messi and Argentina have proven in this tournament that while they have Messi the scoreline is never settled until the final whistle.
Sunday - MetLife Stadium, New Jersey. Argentina versus Spain.
The 2026 World Cup final.
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One final, One winner.
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