Messi Assists Twice as Argentina Stages Late Comeback to Reach World Cup Final

In a dramatic World Cup semifinal on Wednesday, Argentina overturned a late deficit to defeat England 2-1 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. England took the lead in the 55th minute through Anthony Gordon, but after that, they retreated and invited pressure from the reigning world champions. Argentina created several scoring chances and leveled the match at 1-1 in the 85th minute with a goal by Enzo Fernández, assisted by Lionel Messi. Messi then provided another assist in stoppage time, setting up Lautaro Martínez to score the winning goal in the 92nd minute, completing the comeback.

Argentina will face Spain in the final on Sunday. Earlier, Spain secured their place in the final by beating France 2-0 in the first semifinal, with Mikel Oyarzabal scoring a penalty in the 22nd minute and Pedro Poro adding a second goal in the 58th minute. Both semifinal matches followed intense quarterfinal victories: Argentina defeated Switzerland 3-1 after extra time, while England edged Norway 2-1 thanks to a brace from Jude Bellingham.

The Argentina-England match carried historical weight beyond football, recalling the 1982 Falklands War and the controversial 1986 World Cup quarterfinal where Diego Maradona scored the infamous 'Hand of God' goal against England. This semifinal added another chapter to the fierce rivalry between the two nations on the global stage.