Argentina is heading to the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final against Spain! It was an absolute heartbreaker for England, who had victory in their grasp for 84 minutes in Atlanta before Lionel Messi unleashed pure chaos and turned the game on its head. The reigning world champions went from a frustrated mess to absolute pandemonium in mere minutes.
The English Dream That Collapsed
For 84 minutes, England had this game locked down. Thomas Tuchel’s tactical setup was working almost perfectly, stifling Argentina’s attack and making them look lost. When Morgan Rogers set up Anthony Gordon for a side-foot goal in the 55th minute, the dream of a first World Cup final on foreign soil felt incredibly real for England. Their goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez, barely had to make saves early on. Defender Nahuel Molina had a miserable night, completely losing Gordon for that goal and getting subbed off after 71 minutes. Midfielder Leandro Paredes looked completely lost, with Jude Bellingham running right past him multiple times, leading to his removal after an hour. It felt like England was cruising to victory.Messi's Magic Breaks English Hearts
You can keep genius quiet for nearly an entire game, but it only needs a split second. Messi proved that again. In the 85th minute, he found Enzo Fernandez, who absolutely smashed home a sensational 25-yard equalizer. Goosebumps! Then, with extra time looming, Messi delivered a trademark slide-rule pass in the 93rd minute to substitute Lautaro Martinez, who made no mistake. From total control to absolute collapse in eight minutes! Fernandez’s moment of brilliance, stepping up when it mattered most, earned him an 8/10 rating, despite a poor challenge on Elliot Anderson early on. Messi himself, the man who made it all happen, grabbed an 8.5/10. Even Cristian Romero, who lived dangerously with an early second-half yellow card, used his physical strength to keep Harry Kane quiet when it mattered. Lisandro Martinez and Nicolás Tagliafico struggled, both picking up cards and making costly errors that summed up a tough night for parts of the Argentine defense. What a turnaround! Argentina is now off to face Spain in the final this Sunday. England, meanwhile, is heading home to lick their wounds after one of the most brutal collapses in recent memory. You gotta feel for them, but you also gotta salute that pure Messi magic!This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.