Shillong, July 16: Seven minutes. That was all Argentina needed to turn despair into jubilation and book their place in another FIFA World Cup final. What unfolded in those closing moments was difficult to comprehend. Perhaps the best explanation came from England head coach Thomas Tuchel, who admitted afterwards that Argentina simply “took lots of risks” and played as though they had nothing left to lose. In the end, that proved to be the difference.
With just five minutes of normal time remaining, the defending champions were staring at elimination. England had looked the better side for much of the contest and Anthony Gordon’s 55th-minute strike had the Three Lions dreaming of a first World Cup final in 60 years. But in the space of seven breathtaking minutes, La Albiceleste turned the game on its head, with Enzo Fernández equalising in the 85th minute before Lautaro Martínez struck the winner in stoppage time (90+2′) to seal a dramatic 2-1 victory and set up a title clash against Spain.
For much of the match, England were disciplined and in control. After a gritty opening half, Gordon’s goal early in the second period appeared to tilt the contest firmly in their favour. Ironically, Tuchel later described that moment as the turning point of the match.
“We had the momentum and deserved to be 1-0 up,” the England head coach said. “Unfortunately, and strangely enough, it marked a complete momentum switch in the game.”
Instead of being rattled by conceding, Argentina responded with greater intensity. Lionel Scaloni’s side raised the tempo, pressed harder and committed more bodies forward, while England instinctively retreated into a defensive shape to protect their slender advantage. The Three Lions managed to hold on for nearly half an hour, but as Argentina’s pressure mounted, they struggled to regain possession or relieve the siege.
Having witnessed Argentina’s remarkable comeback against Egypt in the Round of 16, there was always a feeling that the contest was not over. Against Egypt, Scaloni’s men had also trailed late in the match before scoring twice within four minutes – in the 79th and 83rd minutes – to equalise and then a stoppage-time winner to complete a stunning 3-2 victory. This time, however, the stakes were much higher. A place in the FIFA World Cup final was on the line.
When the breakthrough finally came, it bore the unmistakable stamp of Lionel Messi.
The 39-year-old captain may not have added to his tally of eight goals in this World Cup, but he once again showed why he remains football’s greatest playmaker. From the moment Argentina fell behind, Messi dictated the tempo, drifted between the lines and repeatedly searched for gaps in an England defence determined to protect its slender lead.
England had packed almost their entire team inside the penalty area, with as many as 10 players defending when Argentina found the equaliser. After receiving a short corner, he deliberately slowed the play down as he took the ball into the penalty area. Just as the English defenders closed in on him, he slid a pass to Enzo Fernández, who unleashed a thunderous strike from outside the box that flew through a sea of defenders and into the net in the 85th minute.
Seven minutes later, England once again crowded their own penalty area. Yet Messi produced a sublime right-footed cross from the right flank just outside the box that curved perfectly between the defenders to find substitute Lautaro Martínez at the far post. The striker timed his jump to perfection and powered a header into the net from close range in stoppage time, completing one of the most dramatic comebacks of the tournament.
At the post-match press conference, England head coach Thomas Tuchel acknowledged his team’s tactical failure after scoring, admitting they completely retreated into a defensive shell and could not cope once Argentina raised the intensity. “Argentina played with more risk, played with more rhythm, played with a feeling that maybe they had nothing to lose anymore, which freed them up,” he said.
“Because we suddenly played with a feeling that we had a lot to lose. We dropped immediately into a deep block. We struggled to stay active in that deep block, struggled to defend crosses and struggled to get physical with the runners into the box,” he added.
Unable to wrestle back momentum, England were eventually overwhelmed. “They took advantage of that and won the game,” he further said.
“The last half an hour, it was deserved for Argentina. If you see the first 55 minutes, I think it was deserved that we were 1-0 up. It was two completely different matches, until the goal and then after the goal.”
Argentina will now face Spain in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final on July 20 (Indian Standard Time), while England and France will battle for third place a day earlier.
