Argentina reaches World Cup final after dramatic 2:1 win over England

"This is incredible," said an overjoyed Lautaro Martinez after the final whistle. Messi, who had barely featured in the first half, upped his game considerably and once again proved the match-winner with his two assists. With a total of eight tournament goals and twelve assists, the 39-year-old shares the lead in the ranking of the best World Cup scorers with Kylian Mbappé. "Messi in the last 20 minutes – he could do whatever he wanted," said coach Scaloni, heaping special praise on his superstar: "They play like they're eight years old."

Political dimension: Falklands banner and historic rivalry

The Argentine players celebrated reaching the final with a banner reading "Las Malvinas son Argentinas" – "The Falkland Islands are Argentine." The banner, which was also seen in the stands, referred to the Falklands War between Great Britain and Argentina in 1982, which continues to shape the sporting rivalry between the two countries to this day. Asked about the additional motivation provided by the historical context, coach Scaloni said: "Football is sometimes more than tactics."

Criticism of Tuchel and reactions from England

England coach Thomas Tuchel came in for heavy criticism after the defeat. The English press accused the German coach of switching to an overly defensive tactic after going 1:0 up. "It's happened again," the Daily Mail headline read. "The blame will go on for years," the paper wrote. Speaking on his Netflix show "The Rest is Football," Gary Lineker called the decision to sit deep against "the best footballer of all time" "absolutely incomprehensible" and quipped: "I just wonder if Thomas Tuchel is some kind of German spy – whether we've been infiltrated by Germany. So maybe they've smuggled someone in." Wayne Rooney was also visibly affected: "I'm devastated."

Tuchel defended his setup. "We switched to a back five to close the gaps in the middle and be strong in the air," he said. "You can discuss that with a million coaches, but I have to make a decision on the pitch." England's captain Harry Kane, who scored six tournament goals at his third World Cup, held back from criticizing his coach: "England gave everything, and if Tuchel's plans had worked out, people would have called him a genius." Regarding his own future with the national team, the striker star left things open: "I take it year by year, see how I feel. I'll be 33 in the summer. Four years is obviously a long time."

Prince William and English disappointment

Prince William, who had previously urged the team along with captain Harry Kane and his teammates: "Keep your heads up," paid tribute to the "Three Lions" on Instagram. "England, you gave everything – and we are all so proud of you," the British heir to the throne wrote. "The most complete England team there has ever been at a tournament," he gushed. For England, the wait for a second World Cup title after 1966 goes on – it was the third semifinal defeat at a World Cup in a row.

The other semifinalist: Spain

In the other semifinal, Spain had earlier beaten France 2:0. Mikel Oyarzabal (22nd, penalty) and Pedro Porro (58th) scored the goals for the Iberians. "New York, we're coming to you," young star Lamine Yamal wrote on Instagram, full of anticipation. France coach Didier Deschamps grumbled about the referee and criticized his performance, which FIFA referees' chief Pierluigi Collina sharply rejected: "Our referees are world class." Deschamps surpassed former Germany coach Helmut Schön as the record coach with his 26th World Cup match, but found little consolation in that. Following the semifinal defeat, riots broke out in 183 French cities, with 342 people arrested and 250 taken into police custody.

Outlook: Title defense as a historic chance

With a win on Sunday in East Rutherford near New York, Argentina could become the third team after Italy (1934/1938) and Brazil (1958/1962) to defend their World Cup title. Scaloni, who has been in charge of the "Albiceleste" since the summer of 2018 and led them to the title in Qatar in 2022, stressed: "I want to leave here as world champions." Midfield strategist Leandro Paredes said: "We tried to represent our country and all those who went through that sad moment in our history, so that they can identify with us and we can convey a positive image." The final against Spain kicks off on Sunday at 21:00 CEST.

Niggling incidents and press reaction

The match was marked by numerous niggling incidents. England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford caused a stir after the World Cup exit with his penalty-cheat sheet, which made the Argentinians laugh. After the final whistle, Bellingham struck Argentine substitute Valentín Barco on the back of the head. The Sun also wrote of a header by Martinez that "broke the hearts of the Three Lions." The Argentine La Nación, by contrast, celebrated a "triumph for the ages."

Bellingham in the Golden Boot race

Bellingham, who had scored a brace in the quarterfinal against Norway, finished the tournament with six goals and is fourth in the race for the Golden Boot behind Mbappé and Messi (eight goals each) and the eliminated Erling Haaland (seven), level with Kane. "That's what characterizes Switzerland," Tuchel said with reference to the fighting spirit of his team, which had deservedly taken the lead after the break. According to the BBC, England's Tuchel is also expected to remain in charge for the home Euro 2028, as the Times reported. The Times also wrote that Tuchel had extended his contract last February early through to the European Championship finals in Great Britain and Ireland.

The Argentine daily Clarín spoke of an "Argentine onslaught in the final minutes." Crónica wrote: "With suffering, but with fighting spirit and heart: that seems to be the Albiceleste's destiny at this World Cup." The Spanish Marca headline read: "Argentina overpowers England in seven minutes." In Buenos Aires, numerous fans took to the streets to celebrate their team, while ZDF reporter Yacin Hehrlein reported from London: "It's hard to see how this room just collapsed in on itself."