Argentina defeated England in the semi-final on Wednesday to book a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final against Spain, setting up a final between Spain and Argentina.[1][2]

Messi's assessment after leading Argentina into final

Argentina captain Lionel Messi led the side through the semi-final, with match reports describing him as inspiring the victory, and he spoke in a post-match interview after beating England to outline his expectations for the final.[1][2]

The Inter Miami forward said he anticipates a closely matched contest when Argentina faces Spain, an opponent he addressed directly ahead of the final scheduled for Sunday in one account.[1][2]

Reports differ on semi-final scoreline

One account of Wednesday's semi-final described the result as a 2-1 comeback win for Argentina over England.[1]

Another account reported the semi-final as a 2-0 victory for Argentina against England, without describing it as a comeback.[2]

With two different scorelines in circulation, the precise margin and whether Argentina had to come from behind remain unresolved in the material available.[1][2]

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    Version and update history
    1. Version 1 · Initial source-grounded generation