From agony to ecstasy: a month since Argentina beat England in the US

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Radio Gol

·15 August 2026

From agony to ecstasy: a month since Argentina beat England in the US

This Saturday marks exactly one month since one of the most dramatic and passionate chapters in modern football. On July 15, at the imposing Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, the Argentina national team led by Lionel Scaloni booked its place in the 2026 World Cup final after beating England 2-1. A dramatic comeback that further enlarged the legend of a generation that refused to give up.

From the abyss to glory in the second half

The night in Atlanta had turned into a nightmare for the «Albiceleste». After a tense first half with no breakthrough, the British side broke the deadlock:

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The English blow: 10 minutes into the second half, Anthony Gordon made it 1-0. England was on the verge of its first World Cup final in 60 years.
Argentina’s siege: Scaloni piled on attacking players, pushing the English back against their own goal as the clock drained away their hopes.
Enzo’s explosion: In the 40th minute, with the match slipping away, Lionel Messi produced a moment of magic and set up Enzo Fernández, who unleashed a rocket from outside the box to make it 1-1.
Lautaro’s header: In the 47th minute, avoiding an imminent extra time, Messi turned provider once again and Lautaro Martínez headed home to seal the final 2-1.

A new chapter in the greatest rivalry

This was no ordinary victory. The 2-1 win in the United States added a golden link to a historic rivalry, echoing Argentina’s legendary eliminations of England at the 1986 Mexico and 1998 France World Cups.

The dramatic win sent the then-reigning world champion into the final against Spain, keeping the dream of back-to-back titles alive for four more days.

A memory time will not erase

Although the final outcome was cruel — on July 19, Spain would claim glory by beating Argentina 1-0 in extra time with a goal from Ferran Torres — the value of that semifinal remains untouched.

One month on from the battle of Atlanta, the comeback against England stands as the latest great milestone of a golden era. With five minutes left before packing their bags, Enzo’s defiance appeared, Lautaro’s instinct, and, as always, the guiding brilliance of Lionel Messi.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.