•••Stunning Late Assist Downs England as Albiceleste Set Up Blockbuster Clash with Spain
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Lionel Messi once again proved why he remains one of football’s greatest icons, producing a moment of breathtaking brilliance to inspire Argentina to a dramatic 2-1 victory over England and secure a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.
In a fiercely contested semi-final, England looked set for a famous victory after Anthony Gordon fired the Three Lions ahead in the 55th minute with a clinical finish that stunned the Argentine supporters.
Despite falling behind, Argentina refused to surrender. The defending champions dominated possession and piled relentless pressure on England’s defence in search of an equaliser.
Their persistence paid off in the 85th minute when Enzo Fernández latched onto a perfectly weighted pass from Lionel Messi before calmly slotting home to level the scores and breathe new life into Argentina’s title defence.
With extra time looming, Messi produced another moment of genius deep into stoppage time. Spotting Lautaro Martínez’s intelligent run, the Argentine captain delivered a sensational defence splitting assist that left the striker with only the goalkeeper to beat. Martínez made no mistake, smashing home the winner to spark wild celebrations among the Argentine players and fans.
Messi’s two decisive assists transformed the match and underlined his enduring influence on the world stage, carrying Argentina into a second consecutive FIFA World Cup final.
England’s spirited campaign ended in heartbreak after coming within minutes of reaching the final. Gareth Southgate’s side will now face France in the third-place playoff.
Argentina will now meet Spain in what promises to be a thrilling World Cup final between two of the tournament’s most impressive teams. With Messi chasing another historic World Cup triumph and Spain aiming to reclaim football’s biggest prize, fans around the world are eagerly awaiting a blockbuster finale.
