Lionel Messi made his presence felt in the second semifinal against England in Atlanta. Although Messi didn’t score, he provided both assists, which not only changed the game’s complexion but also helped Argentina win the match and qualify for the 2026 World Cup final. Messi’s Argentina is just one step away from becoming the first team since Brazil to win back-to-back World Cups, for which they have to beat Spain in the summit clash on July 19 in New Jersey. With eight goals and four assists, Messi leads the tally for most G/A contributions in this edition in North America.&nbsp;England opened the scoring through Anthony Gordon’s goal in the second half, and until the 85th minute they were leading. The game changed when Enzo Fernández blasted home a volley outside the box to equalise, and striker Lautaro Martínez headed one seven minutes later to turn England’s ecstasy into agony and vice versa for the defending champions. &nbsp;"The other day I said this group never stops surprising me," Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said after the game. "And I'll tell you the truth, we're going to try to win, we're going to leave everything out there. &nbsp;"But after this, it's very difficult to get people to understand what these players are showing. It's incredible. We are unique, truly, and it's not arrogance, it's from the heart."&nbsp;Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/argentina-vs-england-world-cup-semifinal-harry-kane-rues-late-collapse-anthony-1784158785240">'It's not enough at this level': Gutted Harry Kane rues England's late collapse in semifinal defeat</a> &nbsp;Even though Scaloni’s men have made a habit of winning it late in this tournament, given how they beat Egypt in stoppage time and then Switzerland, Messi, 39, remains the heartbeat of the team. However, it appeared like his World Cup dream could be over after Gordon’s strike, only for him to dig deep and deliver another masterclass to steer his team home.

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Man-of-the-match Messi, who had never faced England previously, hailed the character of Argentina, saying "the story never ends". &nbsp;"This was just a football game, but of course it's quite a special one, especially playing against England with all the historical context," he said after the game. "What the group has been doing is incredible, and this, of course, is again something that shows our character, our grit, our collective, the way that we play together. It was really, truly amazing." &nbsp;Speaking of his final opponents, Spain, against most of which he has played football in La Liga, Messi said, "They play very, very well. I know them quite well. Their whole idea and philosophy have been very well (developed) throughout this time, and I know the players as well."

Lionel Messi masterminds a dramatic 2-1 semifinal win over England, putting Argentina one step away from historic back-to-back World Cup titles.

Lionel Messi made his presence felt in the second semifinal against England in Atlanta. Although Messi didn’t score, he provided both assists, which not only changed the game’s complexion but also helped Argentina win the match and qualify for the 2026 World Cup final. Messi’s Argentina is just one step away from becoming the first team since Brazil to win back-to-back World Cups, for which they have to beat Spain in the summit clash on July 19 in New Jersey. With eight goals and four assists, Messi leads the tally for most G/A contributions in this edition in North America. England opened the scoring through Anthony Gordon’s goal in the second half, and until the 85th minute they were leading. The game changed when Enzo Fernández blasted home a volley outside the box to equalise, and striker Lautaro Martínez headed one seven minutes later to turn England’s ecstasy into agony and vice versa for the defending champions. "The other day I said this group never stops surprising me," Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said after the game. "And I'll tell you the truth, we're going to try to win, we're going to leave everything out there. "But after this, it's very difficult to get people to understand what these players are showing. It's incredible. We are unique, truly, and it's not arrogance, it's from the heart." Also read| 'It's not enough at this level': Gutted Harry Kane rues England's late collapse in semifinal defeat Even though Scaloni’s men have made a habit of winning it late in this tournament, given how they beat Egypt in stoppage time and then Switzerland, Messi, 39, remains the heartbeat of the team. However, it appeared like his World Cup dream could be over after Gordon’s strike, only for him to dig deep and deliver another masterclass to steer his team home.

Lionel Messi masterminds a dramatic 2-1 semifinal win over England, putting Argentina one step away from historic back-to-back World Cup titles.

‘The Story Never Ends’: Messi hails Argentina’s character after booking World Cup final berth

England captain Harry Kane said he was gutted for his teammates, coaching staff and fans for failing to get over the line in the second semifinal against Argentina in Atlanta. Despite taking a second-half lead, England conceded two goals late into the contest, ending their World Cup title dream and Argentina’s ticket to the final. Anthony Gordon’s 56th-minute goal put England on the cusp of reaching their first World Cup final in 60 years, only for Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez to strike back in the space of seven minutes to end the Three Lions’ dream of winning a FIFA World Cup.&nbsp;"Gutted for the boys, gutted for everyone -- the team, the staff, the fans," England captain Kane said in a chat with the BBC. "We played a good game, the large majority of it. When we went 1-0 up, we seemed to try and hold on, which at this level is not enough. &nbsp;"So, just gutted because we've worked so hard to be here and the lads have given every last bit of running, blood, sweat, tears." Kane, who is England’s all-time top-scorer at the World Cup finals, having smashed six in this edition alone, admitted that his team struggled to repel constant attacks from Argentina.&nbsp; &nbsp;"After the goal, whether it was them putting more men forward or us not being able to match them man for man, it was just wave after wave," he said. "Lads were putting blocks in, but, in the end, it just wasn't enough."&nbsp;Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/thomas-tuchel-defends-tactics-after-england-world-cup-dream-ends-in-argentina-loss-1784156134521">Thomas Tuchel defends tactics after England World Cup dream ends in Argentina loss</a> &nbsp;However, in a shocking admission, and contrary to how they played after Gordon’s opener, Kane said England had not planned to rely on defending; instead, the message was to go for another one, which never happened. &nbsp;"When we went ahead, the messaging was to go again and get another goal," he added. “Then, once they scored their two goals, it was to try and find something, but we couldn't quite get the momentum back in the game.”

<h2>What’s next for Kane?</h2>Kane, who will turn 33 later this month, addressed the media about the chances of returning to lead the attack at the next World Cup. &nbsp;"As a person, it's always just about taking it year by year and how I feel," Kane told reporters. "The England national team is my pride and joy. It's what I love to do more than anything. &nbsp;"Obviously, four years is a long way away. I'll be 33 this summer, but as you see on the other hand, with Leo (Messi) there, he's still performing at the highest level. &nbsp;"I never want to put a limit on these things. But for now, it's just about processing another tough loss with this team,” he added.

"It's not enough at this level." A gutted Harry Kane reacts to England's late World Cup semifinal collapse against Argentina and discusses his international future.

England captain Harry Kane said he was gutted for his teammates, coaching staff and fans for failing to get over the line in the second semifinal against Argentina in Atlanta. Despite taking a second-half lead, England conceded two goals late into the contest, ending their World Cup title dream and Argentina’s ticket to the final. Anthony Gordon’s 56th-minute goal put England on the cusp of reaching their first World Cup final in 60 years, only for Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez to strike back in the space of seven minutes to end the Three Lions’ dream of winning a FIFA World Cup. "Gutted for the boys, gutted for everyone -- the team, the staff, the fans," England captain Kane said in a chat with the BBC. "We played a good game, the large majority of it. When we went 1-0 up, we seemed to try and hold on, which at this level is not enough. "So, just gutted because we've worked so hard to be here and the lads have given every last bit of running, blood, sweat, tears." Kane, who is England’s all-time top-scorer at the World Cup finals, having smashed six in this edition alone, admitted that his team struggled to repel constant attacks from Argentina. "After the goal, whether it was them putting more men forward or us not being able to match them man for man, it was just wave after wave," he said. "Lads were putting blocks in, but, in the end, it just wasn't enough." Also read| Thomas Tuchel defends tactics after England World Cup dream ends in Argentina loss However, in a shocking admission, and contrary to how they played after Gordon’s opener, Kane said England had not planned to rely on defending; instead, the message was to go for another one, which never happened. "When we went ahead, the messaging was to go again and get another goal," he added. “Then, once they scored their two goals, it was to try and find something, but we couldn't quite get the momentum back in the game.”

"It's not enough at this level." A gutted Harry Kane reacts to England's late World Cup semifinal collapse against Argentina and discusses his international future.

'It's not enough at this level': Gutted Harry Kane rues England's late collapse in semifinal defeat

Two assists from Lionel Messi inspired Argentina's stunning comeback to beat England 2-1 in the second semifinal in Atlanta. Argentina qualify for their second successive World Cup final, facing Spain on July 19 in New Jersey for the summit clash. Late goals from Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez in the space of seven minutes broke a million English hearts, as the defending champions remarkably made it to the final. Anthony Gordon opened the scoring for the Three Lions in the second half, but that wasn't enough to keep them afloat in the race for their first World Cup final in 60 years.&nbsp;For the second straight World Cup knockout tie, Argentina was behind at one point and needed a goal or two to come back; however, for the second consecutive time, they did so, knocking England out of the World Cup final race. Neither the players nor their fans let their heads drop as they played like champions to book a berth in the final against Spain – the team that beat France in the first semifinal.<h2>Ecstasy for Argentina, Heartbreak for England</h2>Argentina has made a habit of leaving it late to make a comeback in a World Cup game this edition, with the two goals -- Fernández’s long-range volley in the 85th minute and Martínez’s winner seven minutes later – making up for the 12th occasion that they have scored after the 75th minute in this tournament, the most by any team. Argentina, strangely, turn on their ruthless mode after conceding a goal, and this second semifinal was no different.&nbsp;Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-2026-norway-s-erling-haaland-returns-home-with-a-raccoon-1784116759608">FIFA World Cup 2026: Norway's Erling Haaland returns home with a raccoon</a>&nbsp;After a rusty first half, full of punches, pushes, and more referee intervention than shots on target, football took precedence in the second half. Just when it looked like Argentina had begun pressing more, a counterattack led to England opening the scoring through winger Gordon, who also scored his first World Cup goal. The Atlanta crowd erupted in joy, with Argentine players finding themselves in a similar spot.

Needing a goal to equalise and two in total to lead England, they threw caution to the wind and went for the glory. England, on the other hand, deployed a defensive approach, which did them no good in the end.&nbsp;Near misses kept Argentina going until Fernández’s out-of-this-world strike -- his second in consecutive matches -- drew Argentina level with England. The ecstasy on the faces of the defending champions and the despair on England’s told the entire story.&nbsp;Seven minutes later, in stoppage time, a brilliant assist from Messi saw Martínez convert it into a goal, leaving everyone shocked.&nbsp;While England couldn’t believe what happened despite parking the bus, Argentina knew it punched its World Cup final ticket against Spain.&nbsp;England and France, on the other hand, will face off in the 3rd-place playoff match.

Lionel Messi assists twice as defending champions Argentina beat England 2-1 in a late-game World Cup thriller. Argentina face Spain in the 2026 final.

Two assists from Lionel Messi inspired Argentina's stunning comeback to beat England 2-1 in the second semifinal in Atlanta. Argentina qualify for their second successive World Cup final, facing Spain on July 19 in New Jersey for the summit clash. Late goals from Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez in the space of seven minutes broke a million English hearts, as the defending champions remarkably made it to the final. Anthony Gordon opened the scoring for the Three Lions in the second half, but that wasn't enough to keep them afloat in the race for their first World Cup final in 60 years. For the second straight World Cup knockout tie, Argentina was behind at one point and needed a goal or two to come back; however, for the second consecutive time, they did so, knocking England out of the World Cup final race. Neither the players nor their fans let their heads drop as they played like champions to book a berth in the final against Spain – the team that beat France in the first semifinal. Ecstasy for Argentina, Heartbreak for England Argentina has made a habit of leaving it late to make a comeback in a World Cup game this edition, with the two goals -- Fernández’s long-range volley in the 85th minute and Martínez’s winner seven minutes later – making up for the 12th occasion that they have scored after the 75th minute in this tournament, the most by any team. Argentina, strangely, turn on their ruthless mode after conceding a goal, and this second semifinal was no different. Also read| FIFA World Cup 2026: Norway's Erling Haaland returns home with a raccoon After a rusty first half, full of punches, pushes, and more referee intervention than shots on target, football took precedence in the second half. Just when it looked like Argentina had begun pressing more, a counterattack led to England opening the scoring through winger Gordon, who also scored his first World Cup goal. The Atlanta crowd erupted in joy, with Argentine players finding themselves in a similar spot.

Lionel Messi assists twice as defending champions Argentina beat England 2-1 in a late-game World Cup thriller. Argentina face Spain in the 2026 final.

Argentina beat England 2-1 in second semifinal, book final berth against Spain

Police in Atlanta stepped up security on Wednesday ahead of the FIFA World Cup semi-final between Argentina and England, a match considered high-risk because of the long-standing sporting and political rivalry between the two countries. According to media reports, the Atlanta Police Department said extra security measures would be in place at the downtown stadium as part of its efforts to ensure the safety of players, officials and fans.&nbsp;The stadium, which regularly hosts NFL and Major League Soccer games, is expected to be packed for the blockbuster clash.&nbsp;Earlier in the tournament, celebrations in Mexico ended in tragedy after a crowd crush claimed several lives. Apart from that incident, the World Cup has largely remained free of the widespread fan violence that affected several tournaments during the 1980s and 1990s.&nbsp;Authorities are leaving nothing to chance. For the first time in this World Cup, supporters of the two teams will enter the stadium through separate gates.&nbsp;The rivalry between Argentina and England goes back several decades and has been shaped by memorable football matches as well as political tensions.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-2026-norway-s-erling-haaland-returns-home-with-a-raccoon-1784116759608">FIFA World Cup 2026: Norway's Erling Haaland returns home with a raccoon</a>&nbsp;It became even more intense after the 1982 Falklands/Malvinas War, when the two nations fought over the disputed South Atlantic islands, including the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) and South Georgia.

Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-2026-iran-congratulates-spain-for-semi-final-win-and-for-standing-on-the-right-side-of-history-1784106740908">FIFA | Iran congratulates Spain for SF win, 'standing on right side of history'</a>&nbsp;The two sides will now meet with a place in the World Cup final at stake, adding another chapter to one of football’s biggest rivalries.&nbsp;The winners will face Spain in the final after La Roja secured their place with a 2-0 victory over France.&nbsp;With inputs from agencies

Atlanta will have enhanced security measures in place to prevent any possible crowd trouble between fans.

Police in Atlanta stepped up security on Wednesday ahead of the FIFA World Cup semi-final between Argentina and England, a match considered high-risk because of the long-standing sporting and political rivalry between the two countries. According to media reports, the Atlanta Police Department said extra security measures would be in place at the downtown stadium as part of its efforts to ensure the safety of players, officials and fans. The stadium, which regularly hosts NFL and Major League Soccer games, is expected to be packed for the blockbuster clash. Earlier in the tournament, celebrations in Mexico ended in tragedy after a crowd crush claimed several lives. Apart from that incident, the World Cup has largely remained free of the widespread fan violence that affected several tournaments during the 1980s and 1990s. Authorities are leaving nothing to chance. For the first time in this World Cup, supporters of the two teams will enter the stadium through separate gates. The rivalry between Argentina and England goes back several decades and has been shaped by memorable football matches as well as political tensions. Also Read - FIFA World Cup 2026: Norway's Erling Haaland returns home with a raccoon It became even more intense after the 1982 Falklands/Malvinas War, when the two nations fought over the disputed South Atlantic islands, including the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) and South Georgia.

Atlanta will have enhanced security measures in place to prevent any possible crowd trouble between fans.

FIFA World Cup 2026: Atlanta on high alert ahead of Argentina vs England semi-final

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‘The Story Never Ends’: Messi hails Argentina’s character after booking World Cup final berth

'It's not enough at this level': Kane rues England's late collapse in semis loss

Argentina beat England 2-1 in second semifinal, book final berth against Spain

FIFA WC 2026: Atlanta on high alert ahead of Argentina vs England semi-final