Argentina continued its remarkable World Cup legacy by reaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, becoming only the sixth defending champion in tournament history to qualify for the final of the following edition.
The reigning world champions secured their place in Sunday's final after a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory over England in the semifinal at Atlanta Stadium on Wednesday.
With the achievement, Argentina joined an exclusive list of defending champions to reach consecutive World Cup finals, following Italy (1934 and 1938), Brazil (1958 and 1962), Argentina (1986 and 1990), Brazil (1994 and 1998), and France (2018 and 2022).
England took the lead in the 55th minute through Anthony Gordon, but Argentina responded late as Enzo Fernández equalized in the 85th minute with a powerful strike before Lautaro Martínez completed the comeback with a stoppage-time header from a cross delivered by Lionel Messi.
The victory sends Argentina into its seventh World Cup final and its second consecutive appearance, following its triumph at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Lionel Scaloni's side will now face Spain in the 2026 World Cup final on Sunday, aiming to become the first nation since Brazil in 1962 to successfully defend the World Cup title with back-to-back championships.
A victory over Spain would see Argentina emulate only Italy (1934–1938) and Brazil (1958–1962) as the only teams to lift consecutive FIFA World Cup trophies.
Follow the latest news on Google News
