Lautaro Martinez rose in the 92nd minute to head home Lionel Messi’s cross, extinguishing England’s World Cup dream and sending Argentina into Sunday’s final against Spain. The substitute’s strike at Atlanta Stadium completed a comeback that had seemed improbable when Anthony Gordon put England ahead in the 52nd minute.
Gordon’s goal jolted Argentina into life. Messi, who had missed four of his last eight penalties according to former Barcelona teammate Thierry Henry, shifted into what Henry called “beast” mode. The 39-year-old provided two inch-perfect assists — first for Enzo Fernandez’s 85th-minute equaliser, then the cross that Martinez met to win it. It took Messi’s tournament tally to eight goals and four assists in seven appearances, earning him a fifth Player of the Match award.
“Lautaro Martinez headed a 92nd-minute winner to send Argentina past England and into the World Cup final against Spain.”
“Don’t wake up the beast,” Henry said on Fox Sports after the match. “When his team needs him, he raises his game. A guy who played 120 minutes the other day gets the ball and tries to dribble past everybody… wow.” Henry, who played with Messi at Barcelona, described the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner as “unstoppable” in that mood. “This is Hollywood stuff,” he added. “Messi writes history with his feet, not with his hands.”
Before Messi stole the show, he was involved in an altercation with England’s Jude Bellingham. The Real Madrid midfielder confronted Messi after referee Ismail Elfath awarded a foul, exchanging words with the Argentine captain. New footage after the match also showed Bellingham slapping Argentina substitute Valentin Barco on the back of the head.
England now face France in the third-place play-off, a “Bronze final” that offers scant consolation after a semi-final defeat that revived familiar heartache. Argentina will play Spain for the World Cup crown, with Messi aiming to add a third final victory to his glittering career.
