FIFA World Cup 2026: "We're not going to stop," says Argentine Football Association ahead of final showdown against Spain
New Jersey, July 17
The Argentine Football Association said, "We're not going to stop" as the La Albiceleste prepare for their much-anticipated FIFA World Cup 2026 clash with Spain in New Jersey on July 19.
Argentina secured a thrilling 2-1 comeback win over England in Atlanta, overturning a first-half deficit with Enzo Fernandez scoring the equaliser before Lautaro Martinez netted the stoppage-time winner to send the defending champions into the title clash against Spain.
Notably, Messi also played a pivotal role in Argentina's victory. Although he did not get on the scoresheet, the captain provided assists for both of the defending champions' goals, proving instrumental in their comeback triumph.
After the win, in a post on X, the AFA posted snaps of the players spending time in the field and said in the caption, "Back to work! We're not going to stop. This continues, folks. Come on, just one more little step to go."
The win over England sent Argentina into the World Cup 2026 final, where they will face Spain on Sunday (local time), while England's hopes of reaching their first World Cup final since 1966 came to a heartbreaking end.
In the match, Argentina produced a stunning late comeback. The first half was a tightly contested battle, with both teams fighting for midfield control and creating limited clear chances. England eventually broke the deadlock in the 55th minute when Anthony Gordon finished Morgan Rogers' cross to put the Three Lions ahead.
After taking the lead, England dropped deeper defensively, allowing Argentina to build pressure. The defending champions responded strongly, with Jordan Pickford making key saves and Alexis Mac Allister hitting the post before Argentina found the equaliser. In the 85th minute, Enzo Fernandez struck after receiving a pass from Lionel Messi to level the match.
Argentina completed their comeback in stoppage time when Messi delivered a cross for Lautaro Martinez, who headed home the winner. Despite England's late efforts, Argentina held on to reach the final. England will now face France in the third-place match, while Argentina will meet Spain for the title.
Spain, on the other hand, secured a place in the FIFA World Cup final for the first time since their 2010 triumph after defeating France 2-0 with a composed performance. Lamine Yamal played a key role in the win, winning a penalty after dispossessing Lucas Digne, which Mikel Oyarzabal converted in the 22nd minute to give Spain the lead.
Pedro Porro doubled Spain's advantage after the break following a fine move with Dani Olmo, while France struggled to create clear chances. Yamal had a goal ruled out for offside, and despite late efforts from Kylian Mbappe and Aurelien Tchouameni, Spain's defence held firm to secure their sixth clean sheet in seven tournament matches.
The victory booked Spain's second-ever World Cup final appearance.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As a neutral fan, I'm just glad we get a final between two attacking sides instead of a defensive grind. Spain's defense has been rock-solid—6 clean sheets in 7 games! But Argentina has that never-say-die attitude. Either way, we're in for a treat on Sunday.
Heartbreaking for England—they were so close to their first final since '66. But credit to Argentina for never giving up. Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez were clinical when it mattered. Spain's youngsters like Yamal are special too. This World Cup has been incredibly entertaining! 🌟
I think Argentina's experience in big games will be the difference. Spain plays beautiful tiki-taka but sometimes lacks a plan B. Meanwhile, Argentina showed against England they can grind out results even when not at their best. Expecting a tight 2-1 win for La Albiceleste.
Honestly, I feel England got unlucky with the timing of their subs. They sat back too early after taking the lead and paid the price. That said, what a player Messi still is—reading the game like nobody else. Looking forward to a classic final! 🏆
It's funny how people write off Messi every tournament, and then he delivers when it matters most. Two assists in a World Cup semifinal at his age? Ridiculous. Spain has been impressive defensively but they haven't faced a team with Argentina's attacking variety yet. Should be a cracker!
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