In the semi final of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Argentina national team defeated the England national team by a score of 2-1. The match took place on July 15 at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Argentina, the defending champions, came from behind to advance to the final against Spain.
England scored first when Anthony Gordon found the net. Argentina equalized later through Enzo Fernandez. Lautaro Martínez scored the winning goal in stoppage time during the 92nd minute. Lionel Messi set up both goals with assists for his teammates.
The game featured physical play from the opening minutes. Jude Bellingham faced a push from Leandro Paredes early on. This led to a stoppage in play and several confrontations between the teams. The referee gave out four yellow cards in the first half, with three going to Argentina and one to England. Overall, the match saw 26 fouls. The level of physical contact decreased in the second half.
England manager Thomas Tuchel made changes after his team's goal. Some reports linked these substitutions to a drop in England's control of the game. Argentina maintained pressure and scored twice late to secure the result.
After the match, controversy developed when Argentine players including Lisandro Martinez and Giovani Lo Celso held up a banner. The banner read "Las Malvinas Son Argentinas," which refers to the Falkland Islands. FIFA rules ban political messages inside stadiums during the tournament. The incident has drawn attention and may face review by the organization.
Argentina will now prepare for the World Cup final. England has been eliminated from the competition. The match added to the long standing football rivalry between the two nations, which includes past incidents in international play. The result showed Argentina's experience in close knockout games.