Argentina come back from the brink to set up Spain showdown

Holders Argentina fought back from the brink to beat England and advance to Sunday's FIFA World Cup 2026 final against Spain.

Enzo Fernandez and Lisandro Martinez struck the late goals in a dramatic turnaround in Atlanta just when England were closing in on their first final in 60 years, following Anthony Gordon's goal early in the second half. Instead Lionel Scaloni's men can now look forward to their seventh World Cup final, and stand a step away from retaining their world crown.

This eagerly-awaited revival of one of international football’s great rivalries began in feisty fashion. It was cagey and intensely contested and not until the 33rd minute did either side produce an attempt on goal. That was when John Stones connected with a Declan Rice free-kick to the far post but nodded wide. At the other end, Enzo Fernandez flashed a fierce shot over.

Both these teams had had to dig deep to get this far. Both had found moments of inspiration when it was most needed. Julian Alvarez sought to conjure one such moment soon after the restart, getting beyond Djed Spence following a long ball forward and drawing a smart save from Jordan Pickford at his near post.

Instead, the breakthrough came at the other end when Morgan Rogers, one of three players brought back into England's starting XI, delivered a terrific low cross from the right. Gordon, arriving at the back post, got in front of Nahuel Molina to steer an excellent controlled finish into the corner of Emiliano Martinez’s goal.

Another of the starters reinstated by Thomas Tuchel, Spence made a brilliant goalsaving tackle to deny Giuliano Simeone but the close calls continued as England sat increasingly deep and Argentina's pressure grew. Substitute Nico Gonzalez saw his header foiled by a fine Jordan Pickford save, while Alexis Mac Allister headed against the post.

Eventually, the pressure told as following a short-corner routine Player of the Match Lionel Messi squared the ball to Fernandez and he unleashed a magnificent shot that flew past Pickford to his right.

Then, in added time, Mac Allister's shot struck a post but Messi recycled the danger, delivering a right-foot cross that Martinez buried at the far post.

Key stats

• At 39 years and 21 days old, Lionel Messi became the oldest outfield player to make an appearance in a World Cup semi-final beating previous record holders Fritz Walter and Gunnar Gren who were both 37 years and 236 days old when playing against each other for West Germany and Sweden respectively in 1958.

• With his 121st appearance for England, Kane became the outfield player with the most international outings for the Three Lions.

• There were seven players aged 32+ among the 22 starters, representing the most in a World Cup semi-final. The previous high was six in 2006 when France played Portugal.

As the world prepares for football’s most anticipated match, an international music icon will take centre stage. Global superstar Post Malone will headline the FIFA World Cup 2026 closing ceremony, delivering a landmark performance that will usher in the final at New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday.

Produced in creative partnership with Balich Wonder Studio, the closing ceremony will start at 1.30pm local time, 90 minutes before kick-off and fuse world-class entertainment and football in a moment that unites the world. At its centre, Post Malone will deliver a headline performance befitting the scale of the occasion. Known for redefining genres and commanding the world’s biggest stages, he will step into a defining cultural moment before football’s next champions are crowned.

“At a time when sport, culture and global attention converge, Post Malone will deliver a performance designed to celebrate the tournament’s journey and ignite the atmosphere before the world's attention turns to the two finalists,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

“We are thrilled to have so many stars taking to the pitch, from both the football and entertainment worlds. The closing ceremony will set the tone for a historic FIFA World Cup final, uniting the passion of 48 teams, 16 host cities and millions of fans on one unforgettable stage.”

A nine-time diamond-certified global superstar, Post Malone regularly redefines history, by blurring boundaries and sparking conversation with every move. Most recently, he released his debut country album, F-1 Trillion, which landed at No 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. His catalogue features diamond-certified hits including rockstar, I Fall Apart, Psycho, White Iverson, Better Now, Congratulations, Circles and Sunflower, which became the highest-certified single in RIAA history.

Fans attending the final are encouraged to arrive early to experience the full pre-match programme, with stadium gates opening at 11am local time. Supporters will be able to enjoy a range of exclusive activations, entertainment and fan experiences before the ceremony begins.