Argentina rally past England to reach 2026 World Cup final
Argentina came from behind to beat England 2-1, sending Messi to another World Cup final as England faced a painful exit.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
2 min read
Argentina are back in a World Cup final after turning a 1-0 deficit against England into a 2-1 win, according to Telemundo Deportes’ coverage of the FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal.
Telemundo Deportes reported that Anthony Gordon put England ahead after a team move, before Enzo Fernández pulled Argentina level. Lautaro Martínez then scored the goal that sent the Albiceleste into the final, setting off celebrations among Argentine supporters in the stadium and in Buenos Aires.
The network described the qualification as dramatic, with Argentina surviving England and Lionel Messi set to play another World Cup final. Telemundo Deportes’ live coverage showed fans in Buenos Aires celebrating the victory over England after the final whistle.
How Argentina turned it around
England struck first through Gordon, whose goal made it 1-0, according to Telemundo Deportes. Argentina answered through Fernández, with the network showing Antonela Roccuzzo celebrating the equalizer.
Martínez then made it 2-1 for Argentina, a goal Telemundo Deportes identified as the decisive moment in the comeback. In a separate interview segment aired by the network, Martínez was described as emotional after the match and said in Spanish: “Siempre soñé con hacer este gol,” meaning he had always dreamed of scoring that goal.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni also celebrated the win in Telemundo Deportes’ coverage. In one segment, Scaloni said: “Somos únicos.” Another clip showed him reacting after Argentina broke the deadlock.
England left to process the loss
On the England side, Telemundo Deportes showed manager Thomas Tuchel discussing the elimination. In a clip promoted by the network, Tuchel said he was disappointed, that England had been very close, and that the team became “muy pasivos.”
Harry Kane’s reaction was even shorter and heavier. Telemundo Deportes featured a segment titled with Kane saying: “Estoy destrozado.”
Former Argentina player Maxi Rodríguez also appeared in Telemundo Deportes’ World Cup programming, where a segment quoted him saying England “tuvo miedo de ganar,” or was afraid to win.
Argentina’s voices after the whistle
Telemundo Deportes reported that Giuliano Simeone, Leandro Paredes and Lautaro Martínez shared their reactions after Argentina’s tense qualification for the final. Simeone, in a separate clip, said in Spanish: “Hay que dar el mensaje de seguir adelante, siempre hay que luchar.”
The win keeps Argentina’s chase for another star alive. For England, the same night ended with Tuchel analyzing what slipped away and Kane summing up the mood in two words.
This story draws on original reporting from TELEMUNDO.com.