The 2026 World Cup final is set as Spain will take on Argentina in New Jersey this Sunday after a dramatic semi-final.
England’s hearts were left broken in Atlanta as Argentina scored two late goals to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
It was the tense and hostile affair many had expected coming, with dozens of fouls committed and players going into challenges hard. It was the first World Cup match in which there were no shots in the first 30 minutes as both sides never allowed the other to break through.
However, less than 10 minutes into the second half it was England who opened the scoring as Anthony Gordon got on the end of a delightful Morgan Rogers cross to put the Three Lions ahead.
England manager Thomas Tuchel then made a string of defensive substitutions as he sought to see the game out much like he did in Mexico City in the Round of 16. However, the reigning champions came up clutch once again.
Firstly it was Chelsea star Enzo Fernandez who equalised for La Albiceleste, as he swept a shot from outside the box past Jordan Pickford with just over five minutes to go. Then in the first moments of injury time, it was that man Messi who beat Djed Spence and lofted in a cross which met the head of Lautaro Martinez to break English hearts and send Argentina to the second World Cup Final in a row.
It was a sensational finish to the game, as Argentina yet again in these knockouts had to win in dramatic fashion as England and Tuchel will rue a huge missed opportunity to make their first World Cup final since their 1966 win.
Speaking immediately post-match, former England captain Wayne Rooney said on the BBC he was ‘shattered’ and ‘crushed’ like the players before feeling regretful that England couldn’t see the game out.
‘Yeah, we got ourselves in such a good position, and then we…. we didn’t know what to do. I think we didn’t know what to do. We sat back, we allowed them to come onto us,’ Rooney explained.
‘They were creating a number of chances, put us under pressure, we couldn’t get out, and then we cracked, as soon as they got the first goal, it was inevitable they were going to get a second.’
That late drama means it’s an all-Latin final with Spain facing Argentina for the first time ever in the World Cup final. It will also be the first World Cup final in which the reigning European Champion will take on the reigning South American champion.
It promises to be another classic, with Spain, who have dominated all tournament only conceding once, and Argentina, who never know when they’re out, able to claw and survive all the way to the final with one of the greatest of all time leading the way.
