Argentina scored twice in the final seven minutes to overturn a deficit and eliminate England in the World Cup semifinal in Atlanta. Anthony Gordon had given England a 55th-minute lead, turning in a Morgan Rogers cross, and for half an hour Gareth Southgate’s side appeared to be managing the game. Then, with the match drifting into its closing stages, Lionel Messi took control. In the 85th minute he teed up Enzo Fernández, whose bending strike flew in off the far post. Deep into stoppage time, Messi delivered another cross and Lautaro Martínez headed the winner. The 2-1 victory extended Argentina’s unbeaten run at World Cups to 13 matches, a new tournament record.

It was the third consecutive knockout match in which Argentina had trailed before finding a decisive late goal. In the round of 16 they were 2-0 down to Egypt with eleven minutes remaining and won 3-2; in the quarter-final they needed extra time to break down Switzerland. Across those three games, Argentina have scored eight goals, only one of them from Messi himself. Instead, the captain has become the team’s late-stage creator, setting up both goals against England and orchestrating the pressure that pinned the opposition deep. “This team never stops trying,” Messi said afterwards, adding that the victory carried particular weight for Argentine supporters given the history of the fixture.

That history was immediately visible. Argentine players celebrated with a banner declaring “Las Malvinas son Argentinas”, prompting the British government to urge FIFA to investigate. Midfielder Enzo Fernández, who had cupped his ears and gestured towards critics after his equaliser, later described the moment as “a mix of euphoria and frustration.” The frustration was not one-sided. An online petition demanding Argentina’s expulsion from the tournament gathered 16 million signatures, alleging favouritism from officials. Egyptian coach Hossam Hassan had earlier claimed the competition was “directed for Argentina,” while Switzerland’s Murat Yakin criticised the red card shown to Breel Embolo in their quarter-final. Argentina’s camp dismissed the accusations; coach Lionel Scaloni pointed to the presence of VAR, and Messi insisted “nothing was handed to us.”

Argentina now face Spain in Sunday’s final, a side that has conceded only once in seven matches. England will meet France in the third-place playoff. For Argentina, the final offers a chance to become the first team to retain the World Cup since Brazil in 1962, and to do so after a tournament in which they have repeatedly been forced to find answers in the dying minutes.