Argentina continued their remarkable love affair with the FIFA World Cup by defeating England 2-1 in the 2026 semi-finals, extending an incredible all-time record in the process.
The reigning world champions once again showed their resilience and quality on the biggest stage, coming from behind to secure their place in a second consecutive World Cup final. More importantly, the victory preserved Argentina's astonishing unbeaten record in World Cup semi-finals.
Argentina Fights Back to Beat England
England appeared to be on course for a famous victory when they took the lead in the second half through Anthony Gordon. However, Lionel Messi once again proved to be the difference-maker.
The 39-year-old captain orchestrated Argentina's comeback with two brilliant assists. His first setup was Enzo Fernández for the equalizer before another moment of magic created the winning goal for Lautaro Martínez deep into stoppage time.
Messi's performance was vintage, as he completed nine successful dribbles and constantly troubled England's defense. Argentina's experience and attacking quality eventually overwhelmed the Three Lions, sealing a memorable 2-1 victory.
Argentina's Unmatched World Cup Semi-Final Record
With the win, Argentina extended one of the most impressive records in World Cup history.
Argentina have played more World Cup semi-finals without ever losing than any other nation:
- 1930: Argentina 6-1 United States
- 1986: Argentina 2-0 Belgium
- 1990: Argentina 1-1 Italy (won 4-3 on penalties)
- 2014: Argentina 0-0 Netherlands (won 4-2 on penalties)
- 2022: Argentina 3-0 Croatia
- 2026: Argentina 2-1 England
That makes it six World Cup semi-finals and six victories, an extraordinary achievement that highlights Argentina's ability to deliver when the stakes are highest.
Another Historic Attacking Record
Argentina also matched another impressive World Cup record during the 2026 tournament.
The South American giants have now scored five goals from outside the penalty area, equalling the most by any team in a single World Cup since records began in 1966.
The goals have come from:
- Lionel Messi (2)
- Giovani Lo Celso
- Julián Alvarez
- Enzo Fernández
Their ability to score spectacular long-range goals has been one of the defining features of Argentina's campaign and another reason why they have reached yet another final.
Second World Cup Final in a Row
Argentina has reached back-to-back World Cup finals and joined an elite group of defending champions to achieve the feat. Only Italy (1934 and 1938), Brazil (1958 and 1962, and again in 1994 and 1998), Argentina (1986 and 1990), France (2018 and 2022), and now Argentina (2022 and 2026) have made consecutive finals as reigning champions. Lionel Messi's side now has the chance to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to successfully defend the World Cup title.
