The very heart of Argentina: England stage a comeback and reach the final once again

England are reeling. A long-range shot from Mac Allister hits the post, and after two minutes of stoppage time, Argentina complete their comeback. After a sustained spell of pressure, Messi picks up a loose ball and crosses into the box; Lautaro Martínez rises highest to head past Pickford and seal a 2–1 victory.

Lionel Scaloni’s team confirmed the qualities they have displayed throughout the tournament: control of the game, character and the ability to strike at decisive moments. Even when they fell behind, they never lost their composure. Lionel Messi, although he did not score, proved decisive with the two assists that decided the semi-final. Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez were the key figures in the final comeback.

England played a very well-organised game tactically. However, after Gordon’s opener, Tuchel’s side gradually dropped deeper, allowing the Argentines too much space. Pickford put in an excellent performance, making some decisive saves, but the Albiceleste’s late pressure proved too much to handle.

The semi-final pitted two of the most prestigious national teams on the international stage against each other, the protagonists of a rivalry rooted in over half a century of football history and the Falklands/Malvinas War of 1982.

My thoughts turn to the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. In the quarter-finals, Diego Armando Maradona produced one of the most famous performances in the history of football: first the highly controversial ‘Hand of God’ goal, then the masterpiece that has gone down in history as the ‘Goal of the Century’, following an extraordinary solo run that began from the halfway line. That match helped to fuel an already intense rivalry, transforming it into one of football’s most iconic clashes.

The two national teams have faced each other on several occasions in major tournaments, always producing intense and highly significant encounters. From the draw at the 1966 World Cup to Argentina’s victory in 1986, right through to England’s 1–0 win in the group stage of the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan, every encounter has left a lasting impression on fans. Today, Lionel Messi and Harry Kane – symbols of two generations of champions – will write a new chapter in this story.

Lionel Scaloni’s side got off to a virtually flawless start in the group stage. Messi and his team-mates beat Algeria 3–0 in their opening match, defeated Austria 2–0 and rounded off the group stage with a convincing 3–1 win over Jordan, securing top spot without any real trouble.

The knockout stage, however, told a different story. Argentina faced three extremely hard-fought matches, showing character and the ability to dig deep. In the round of 32, it took extra time to beat Cape Verde 3–2. In the round of 16, they secured another narrow victory against Egypt, again by a score of 3–2, whilst in the quarter-finals they defeated Switzerland 3–1 after another period of extra time. These three battles confirmed the Albiceleste’s technical quality but, above all, their resilience at decisive moments.

England, too, had to fight their way into the semi-finals step by step. The team coached by Thomas Tuchel had already shown promising form in the group stage, which began with a brilliant 4-2 victory over Croatia. Following a 0-0 draw with Ghana, the Three Lions finished top of their group with a 2-0 win over Panama.

As was the case with Argentina, however, the greatest difficulties came in the knockout matches. In the round of 16, England came from behind to beat the Democratic Republic of the Congo 2–1. In the round of 16, they beat Mexico in a thrilling 3–2 victory, whilst in the quarter-finals they had to wait until extra time to knock out Norway, thanks to a decisive brace from Jude Bellingham. It was a campaign marked by hardship, character and the ability to rise to the occasion at the most crucial moments.