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Argentina through to World Cup final after dramatic 2-1 win over England — as it happened

For Argentina and England fans, this World Cup semi-final has 60 years of heated history behind it.
England v Argentina: Semi Final - FIFA World Cup 2026
Argentina heading to the final thanks to two very late game goals. Source: Getty / Buda Mendes

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Source: SBS News


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Watch: England v Argentina semi-final highlights

Thanks for joining us

We're going to wrap up our live coverage of Argentina's semi-final win over England. Thanks for joining us.

The reigning champions will take on Spain in the final at New York New Jersey Stadium at 5am Monday (AEST).

England will play France in the match for third place at Miami Stadium at 7am on Sunday, a fixture that serves as little more than a consolation prize.

As always, you can watch all matches live and free on SBS On Demand, where you will also find other World Cup coverage.

— Miles Proust

Martínez: 'I always dreamed of scoring this goal'

Some more reactions for Argentina, with goal-scorer Lautaro Martínez saying it was an emotional moment.

"The first time my dad bought ​me a pair of boots, I always dreamed of scoring this goal," he said.

"It ​was really tough today. Enzo scored a brilliant goal and I’m confident this ​team is continuing to show what it’s made of."

An Argentine football player with arms stretched out in celebration
Lautaro Martinez after the victory. Credit: Getty

Goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez also shared some words with BBC Sport.

"We had the experience of coming back from losing positions. They started defending a little bit deeper and that gave us a bit of an advantage through the lines," he said.

"Getting Messi on the wing was the key for us.

"We felt [the momentum swing].

"We felt them going backwards and backwards rather than going forward.

"Sometimes when you are winning, you have to go forward anyway. You can't change the game plan. I think they did it and they put extra defenders."

— Miles Proust

Scaloni: 'I'm lost for words'

Here's what Argentine manager Lionel Scaloni said after the match.

"Well, I'm lost for words. A great happiness for our country and our people," he said.

"And another great happiness for this group who just do not know when they are beaten.

Argentine coach Lionel Scaloni waving his hand in celebration
Argentine manager Lionel Scaloni celebrates. Source: Getty / Ian MacNicol

"I can tell them that we are going to try to win, we're going to leave it all out there, but the truth is that to do this is very difficult.

"It's very difficult for people to understand what our players have given. It is so impressive.

"We are unique. It's not arrogance, it is all heart.

"Today so many people arrived here to support us and for that I am truly grateful. This shirt merits us giving absolutely everything possible until the very end. To not spare anything at all."

— Miles Proust

Will Messi get his fairy-tale send-off?

Argentina never knows when it's beaten.

England came close to a first World Cup Final in 60 years, but Messi and co, turned the match on its head in a similar fashion to the wins against Egypt and Switzerland.

The unstoppable force now faces the immovable object, Spain, in the final.

Will Messi get the send-off his immense contribution to football deserves on Monday at New York New Jersey Stadium?

— John Baldock

Argentine players hold up Falklands banner

Argentine players have held up a banner that read "Las Malvinas Son Argentinas" ("The Falklands are Argentine").

It's unclear where the banner came from.

FIFA's Stadium Code of Conduct bans "banners, flags, flyers, apparel and other paraphernalia that are of a political, offensive, and/or discriminatory nature" inside stadiums.

England v Argentina: Semi Final - FIFA World Cup 2026
Argentine players with the controversial banner. Source: Getty / Robbie Jay Barratt

FIFA did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

The question of sovereignty over the islands in the South Atlantic known to the British as the Falklands and the Argentines as the Malvinas has been a long-running sore in relations between the countries.

They fought a short conflict over the islands in 1982, in which 649 Argentine and 255 British soldiers died. Britain ultimately won, and the vast majority of island residents have said they wish to remain part of Britain.

— Reuters

Tuchel: 'The match changed completely'

English manager Thomas Tuchel spoke to the BBC. Here's what he had to say.

"We're disappointed. We were so close but we got too passive after we scored and conceded a lot of chances," he said.

A middle-aged white balding man with his arms crossed
Thomas Tuchel said England were searching for a second goal but couldn't maintain possession. Source: Getty / Justin Setterfield

"We could not turn the ball possession around and then conceded so many crosses, chances and shots.

"We were close but couldn't keep the level up after we scored."

His tactics have already come under scrutiny, with English legend Wayne Rooney saying England played too defensively and didn't go in search of a second goal after their first.

But Tuchel said England was going for a second, they just couldn't get their feet onto the ball.

"We couldn't win any balls, we couldn't keep the ball, so I think it was not a structural problem. We changed nothing. But the match changed completely," he said.

He also defended his decision to switch to a back-five.

"We conceded [a chance] straight away and we decided to go to a back five because the gaps were far too open," he said.

"They won every header, they kept crossing and crossing so we went to a back five to close the gaps inside and be strong in the air.

"Straight after our goal, without any substitutions, we conceded way too many crosses and way too many chances, so we tried to help.

"Of course, the responsibility is on the coach and if it doesn't go well, it is easy to say it was wrong."

— Miles Proust

In pictures: Argentine joy, English heartbreak

An Argentine football player celebrating
Lionel Messi is stoked. Source: Getty / Ian MacNicol
Argentine football players celebrating in front of the Argentine stand
Players celebrating in front of the Argentine stands. Source: Getty / Dan Mullan
Argentinian fans celebrating in a restaurant
Argentine fans celebrating in Buenos Aires. Source: Getty / Cristina Sille
Two male football fans in Argentine jerseys celebrating at a pub
More celebrations at Coogee Bay Hotel in Sydney. Source: Getty / Ayush Kumar
Image.jfif
These were the scenes at the Royal Melbourne Hotel in Melbourne's CBD. Source: SBS
England WCup Soccer Reaction
And here are some of the scenes at Boxpark in London. Source: AP / Alberto Pezzali

Kane: 'Just gutted'

English skipper Harry Kane, unsurprisingly, is devastated.

"Just gutted, gutted for the boys, gutted for everyone: the team, the staff, the fans," he told the BBC.

An English football player with his hands on his hips, looing sad
Harry Kane said his side gave it their all but it wasn't enough. Source: Getty / Chris Brunskill

"We played well for the vast majority of it. Once we went 1-0 up we just seemed to try to hold on which, at this level, is not enough, so I’m just gutted, gutted."

He concedes England failed to keep up the pressure on Argentina after their first goal.

"After the goal, whether it was them putting more men forward or us being able to match them man for man, it just was wave after wave and we were just trying to hold on, put the blocks in, but in the end it wasn’t enough," he said.

— Miles Proust

Watch: Argentina celebrates

Here's how the Argentine players celebrated after the win.

Argentina stage stunning comeback

Here's a few words from SBS reporter John Baldock who was at the match:

What a stunning turnaround by the defending champions.

When it mattered, Lionel Messi kept his cool and calmly provided the assists for both Argentina’s goals.

A super strike by Enzo Fernández, five minutes from the end, before Lautaro Martínez's header broke England’s hearts.

Their players are slumped on the turf here while Argentina's celebrate a place back in the World Cup Final!

— John Baldock

Animosity continues on the pitch

The animosity continues on the pitch, with Bellingham exchanging words with an Argentine player.

Messi is pumping his fists, while Argentina fans are going wild in the stands.

The English players are devastated. They were up until the 84th minute, before Argentina staged a late comeback.

— Miles Proust

Full-time, Argentina are through!

And reigning champions Argentina are through to the final!

Heartbreak for England.

Argentina will face Spain in the final at 5am on Monday (AEST) at New York New Jersey Stadium.

— Miles Proust

90 + 9'

Rashford's cross from the left is cleared as the seconds count down.

— Miles Proust

Watch: Fernandez's goal

90 + 4' - De Paul booked

England want play to get underway and De Paul is booked for a row with Bellingham.

England make changes, with Marcus Rashford and Ivan Toney coming on for John Stones and Djed Spence.

— Miles Proust

Martinez with the header

It's a stunning comeback from Argentina, with what could be the stoppage-time winner.

Lautaro Martinez heads in a superb Messi cross from five yards out.

There are six minutes of stoppage time remaining.

It's 2-1, Argentina's way.

England are going to have to find something special to get back in this.

— Miles Proust

90 + 2' - Argentina goal!

Goal Argentina!

88' - Stones down

Stones goes down after heading a cross clear but there was no contact. He gets treatment so play stops for 60 seconds.

— Miles Proust

85' - Goal Argentina!

Argentina find the equaliser! It was a superb long-range strike by Fernandez. What a hit into the left side.

It came from a short corner, with Messi playing it off to Fernandez in the centre.

There's a discussion about Messi being offside but it's play on. The score is level at 1-1.

The Argentine fans are up on their feet in celebration. It must be said that the goal was coming, with England coming under immense pressure.

— Miles Proust

81' - Another sub

Lautaro Martinez replaces Nicolas Tagliafico for Argentina.

— Miles Proust

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