England Heartbreak as Argentina Seal Late 2-1 Comeback
Last update: July 16, 2026
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So close, yet so far again. England were five minutes away from a first World Cup final since 1966 before Argentina flipped the script in Atlanta.
England looked to be heading to New Jersey for the World Cup final after Anthony Gordon fired the Three Lions into a second-half lead against Argentina in Atlanta. For 40 minutes, it felt like it was finally happening.
Then came the gut-punch.
With just five minutes left on the clock, Enzo Fernandez unleashed an absolute stunner from distance to make it 1-1. And just when England thought they could hold on for extra-time, super-sub Lautaro Martinez popped up in the 92nd minute with a thumping header to win it for the holders. 2-1 Argentina. Just like that.
Of course, Lionel Messi was right at the heart of it, assisting both goals including that inch-perfect cross for Martinez's winner, as reported by cbinews.tv.
The turning point? England boss Thomas Tuchel threw on a string of defensive subs and switched to a back five to try and see out the lead. It backfired spectacularly. Argentina took total control, and England barely had a kick.
The stats tell the story. According to cbinews.tv, England managed just 12 percent possession from Gordon's opener until Martinez's winner.
After yet another semi-final heartbreak, having lost back-to-back Euros finals, the mood was flat. But Tuchel says he has no regrets.
"We decided to go to a back five because there were too many gaps and they were far too open. We did it to close the gaps inside and be stronger in the air. We were so close, but we got too passive after we scored," he told reporters.
The German also confirmed he will stay on to lead the Three Lions into Euro 2028 on home soil.
Captain Harry Kane was more blunt: "Once we went 1-0 up we seemed to just try and hold on, which at this level is just not enough, so I'm gutted."
So what's next? Lionel Scaloni's Argentina will now face Spain in Sunday's final in New Jersey, while England will have to pick themselves up for a third-place play-off against France in Miami on Saturday.
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