16/07/2026 17:50 - Deportes
On July 15, 2026, at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, the Argentine national team—affectionately known as "La Scaloneta" due to their head coach Lionel Scaloni—achieved an epic 2-1 victory over England, booking their spot in the 2026 World Cup Final. Despite falling behind to a 55th-minute goal by Anthony Gordon, Argentina showed immense resilience, turning the game around in the dying minutes when all seemed lost.
The equalizer came from a stunning strike by Enzo Fernández in the 85th minute, igniting hope across the nation. The definitive glory was sealed in the 92nd minute (48th of the second half) when Lautaro Martínez headed in a pinpoint cross from Lionel Messi. Remarkably, this was the very first ball "El Toro" (The Bull) touched after coming off the bench.
Argentina will face Spain on Sunday, July 19, 2026, at 4:00 PM at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, which has a capacity of 82,500 spectators. Spain reached this stage after defeating France 2-0 with goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro.
Lionel Messi, playing his first senior match against England, had a gesture that moved the world: he was gifted the jersey Diego Maradona wore during the historic 1986 World Cup match against England in Mexico, accompanied by a message: "Que lo disfrute desde arriba" (May he enjoy it from above—referring to Maradona watching from heaven).
In Argentina, euphoria overflowed in the streets. In Mar del Plata (a major coastal city in Buenos Aires Province), the celebrations brought some minor incidents. A 20-year-old man fell from the San Martín monument (he was hospitalized and conscious), and a traffic light collapsed under the weight of celebrating fans. Even Charly García, a legendary figure of Argentine rock music, stepped out onto the balcony of the corner street that bears his name to join the festivities.
England's manager, Thomas Tuchel, was heavily criticized for sitting back after the 1-0 lead. Between the 55th and 92nd minutes, England held a mere 12% of possession, allowing Argentina to take total control of the match and capitalize with the comeback in the final 7 minutes.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
