Istanbul / Ahmed Hassan / Anadolu Agency

The Argentine national team achieved a stunning late comeback, turning a deficit into an exciting 2-1 victory over their English counterparts on Tuesday, booking their place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final for the second consecutive time.

In a match held at the Atlanta Stadium in the US state of Georgia, officiated by American referee Ismail Elfath, Anthony Gordon opened the scoring for England in the 55th minute, while Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez scored for Argentina in the 85th and 90+2 minutes.

With this victory, the Argentine team set a date in the final match, where they will face Spain on Sunday at the New York/New Jersey Stadium, after Spain qualified by defeating France 2-0 on Tuesday.

The passionate atmosphere started early, as fans of both teams booed during the playing of the opposing national anthem, and as the first half began, it was clear that extreme caution dominated the performance of both teams.

As time passed, Argentina imposed their control over the flow of play, but without real danger, as the English managed to close all avenues to goalkeeper Jordan Pickford's goal, so the first 30 minutes did not witness any shots on target.

The intensity of clashes and friction between the players increased, with fouls being committed repeatedly by both sides, until the first real attempt of the match came through English defender John Stones in the 32nd minute, after a header from inside the penalty area that went just past the post.

Argentina responded with a dangerous attempt in the 39th minute, when Enzo Fernández unleashed a rocket shot from outside the penalty area that went just over the crossbar, after which play was confined to the midfield again until the referee blew the whistle for the end of the first half in a goalless draw.

The Argentine team entered the second half with notable attacking activity, and Julián Álvarez almost gave them the lead in the 47th minute, after he penetrated into the penalty area and shot a powerful ball from a narrow angle, but English goalkeeper Pickford saved brilliantly.

Despite the advantage of 'La Albiceleste' in the match, the 'Three Lions' managed to find the net with the first goal in the 55th minute, when the ball reached Morgan Rogers from a well-organized attack, who delivered a brilliant cross into the penalty area that Anthony Gordon converted with a single touch into the goal.

The Argentines intensified their attacking pressure in search of an equalizer, and a golden opportunity arose in the 69th minute, when Messi sent a cross into the penalty area that substitute Nicolás González met with a powerful header, but Pickford saved brilliantly and cleared it.

The right post denied the Argentine team an equalizer by blocking a header from Alexis Mac Allister in the 76th minute, following a cross from substitute Rodrigo De Paul.

Argentina translated their dominance into an equalizer in the 85th minute through Enzo Fernández, when he received a decisive pass from Messi and fired a powerful right-footed shot from outside the penalty area that nestled into the goalkeeper's right, bringing the match back to square one.

Argentina sealed the win in the 90+2 minute after a cross was met by Mac Allister with a header from inside the penalty area that hit the post and rebounded to Messi on the right side, who redirected it back into the area, and Lautaro Martínez met it with another header into the net.

Messi became the first player to contribute to 12 goals (scored 8 goals and provided 4 assists) in a single World Cup edition since Gerd Müller for Germany in 1970, who had 13 goal involvements (scored 10 goals and provided 3 assists).

The United States, Canada, and Mexico are hosting the 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup from June 11 to July 19, with 48 teams participating.