By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
Lionel Messi once again proved why he remains football’s greatest big-game performer, inspiring defending champions Argentina to a thrilling 2-1 victory over England in a pulsating FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal to book their place in a second successive World Cup final.
With the win, Argentina kept alive their dream of retaining the title they won four years ago and set up a blockbuster summit clash against Spain, who defeated France 2-0 in the other semifinal.
The match lived up to its billing from the opening whistle, with both sides producing attacking football before a packed stadium. England began brightly, pressing high and creating early chances, but Argentina gradually took control through the vision and composure of their captain in the first half which, however, failed to produce any goal.
Argentina’s defence was stretched and Morgan Rogers drove in a low cross from the right. Anthony Gordon found the net with a gorgeous shot to put the Three Lions ahead in the 55th minute.
And when it appeared that England will easily sail through, Messi gave a spectacular pass to Enzo Fernandez, who pulled the trigger from a distance, which rattled the net in the 85th minute to give the defending champion an equalizer. The GOAT had delivered a perfectly weighted pass that led to Argentina’s opening goal, sending thousands of Argentine supporters into celebration.
In the closing moments, Messi (90+2) set up Lautaro Martinez with a cross from the right, and this time, the Inter Milan striker found the net that almost brought Argentina on the brink of victory. This was the decisive moment in the closing stages with the brilliance of Messi. Picking up the ball outside the penalty area, he split England’s defence with an exquisite through pass that was clinically converted to give Argentina a priceless 2-1 lead.
England threw everything forward in search of an equaliser, but Argentina managed to stood firm under immense pressure. Goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez made crucial saves before the final whistle confirmed Argentina’s place in yet another World Cup final.
The victory further cemented Messi’s extraordinary World Cup legacy. Even in the twilight of his glittering career, the Argentine captain once again demonstrated his unmatched ability to influence the biggest matches, combining creativity, leadership and composure when his team needed him most.
Argentina will now face an in-form Spain in what promises to be a mouth-watering final between two footballing giants on Sunday (Monday, Jul 20 1230 am IST). For England, the dream of ending decades of World Cup heartbreak remains unfulfilled, and they must now regroup for the third-place playoff against France.
For Argentina, however, the journey continues—and with Messi still weaving his magic, the dream of back-to-back World Cup titles is just one victory away.
