Argentina beat England 2–1 to reach World Cup final

Argentina are in the World Cup final

England 1–2 Argentina in the semifinal, and your team never looked like losing (1) (2) (5). Julián Álvarez and Messi scored the goals that sent Argentina to a third World Cup final. It was Messi's first competitive meeting with England, and he delivered. The match was the highest-risk fixture of the tournament, with a massive security operation in Atlanta and a ban on Falklands-related flags.

Álvarez and Messi did it again

Argentina's goals came when it mattered. Álvarez and Messi both scored against an England side that had no answer after going behind (1) (2). England's coach Thomas Tuchel is now facing heavy criticism back home, his lineup choices and a deep defensive setup in the semifinal have been called into question (5). Maguire, Foden, Palmer, Alexander-Arnold, Kane, and Bellingham could not break through.

Number one in the world again

The semifinal win pushes Argentina back to the top of the FIFA rankings (1). But there is a curse hovering: no team ranked number one has won the World Cup since the rankings began. Argentina will try to break it in the final.

The blue kit and the superstition

Argentina wore the dark blue second kit against England, and there is history in that choice (2). The design is a tribute to Fileteado Porteño, the traditional Buenos Aires decorative art. But fans will remember that Argentina also wore blue in the 1986 quarterfinal against England, Maradona's "Hand of God" match. The superstition held.

Ballon d'Or opens the door for Messi

Ballon d'Or published an article on Thursday clarifying that players outside Europe remain eligible for the award (4). The timing is not subtle. Messi is at Inter Miami, and he just reached a World Cup final. The message looks aimed squarely at him.

Falklands banner sparks outrage after the match

Argentina players posed with a banner referencing the Falkland Islands after the semifinal win (6). Spain has called for sanctions. The moment reignited the political tensions that surrounded the match from the start, where Falklands-related flags were already banned inside the stadium.

How Messi almost played for Spain

A story out of Brazil this week details how Argentina prevented Messi from being recruited by Spain as a youth player (3). Claudio Vivas, who was part of the Argentina youth setup at the time, recalled the moment: "Esse VHS acabou na AFA, em Ezeiza. Não tive a inteligência de fazer a cópia. Lamentavelmente não tenho." The tape of Messi was sent to the AFA in Ezeiza, and Spain never got him.

The Messi-Yamal photo that went viral

Ahead of a potential Argentina vs Spain final, a photographer has recalled the famous 2007 shoot of Messi bathing baby Lamine Yamal (7). Joan Monfort described it: "Foi difícil. O Messi é uma pessoa bastante introvertida e tímida. Tinha 18 ou 20 anos e saiu do vestiário para, de repente, encontrar em outro vestiário uma banheira de plástico cheia de água com um bebê dentro. Foi complicado. No começo, ele nem sabia como pegar o bebê." The photo has become one of the defining images of this World Cup.

Fan-reaktioner

Argentina fans are celebrating Scaloni joining an elite coaching list, only the fifth manager in history to reach two consecutive World Cup finals, following Pozzo, Bilardo, Beckenbauer, and Deschamps. The late-game dominance is a major talking point: Argentina have outscored opponents 11–1 past the 70th minute across this tournament, a stat that underlines the team's conditioning and mentality. Full discussion here.