ATLANTA STADIUM — Just when it looked as though the end of the road had arrived for the GOAT on the biggest stage in sports, Lionel Messi and Argentina made magic.

The Albiceleste came back to win a World Cup semifinal for the ages, 2-1, over England on late goals by Enzo Fernández and substitute Lautaro Martínez.

Anthony Gordon opened the scoring for England earlier in the second half off a perfect cross from Morgan Rogers — a goal that kept the Three Lions in front until there were just five minutes of regular time remaining.

But Fernández — who plays his club soccer for Premier League side Chelsea — scored a brilliant long-range equalizer off a pass from Messi. Fernández then sealed another famous win for Argentina over its transatlantic rival in stoppage time.

“We were ready to go home, sad, knowing that we had left everything on the pitch,” a relieved Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said in his press conference after the match. “After they scored, we really proved ourselves. It shows what football is to us, which is something that goes beyond tactics.”

It was a fitting end to an instant classic. The atmosphere was off the charts in Georgia’s capital, with two of the most fervent supporters in sports taking over the city in the lead-up to the match. But while the packed crowd of almost 70,000 leaned decisively Argentine — Albiceleste fans completely drowned out “God Save the King” before kickoff – the English seemed destined early to finally return to the World Cup final for the first time since they won their only major trophy way back in 1966.

Argentina will now take on Spain in Sunday’s title match at New York New Jersey Stadium, while England will head to a consolation match on Saturday against France in Miami.

Here are four takeaways from Wednesday’s unforgettable encounter.

1. Argentina — and Messi — Will Play For History  

In addition to the world title they won four years ago in Qatar, Scaloni’s team also won the Copa América as South American champions in 2021 and 2024, joining Spain’s 2008-2012 squad as the only nation to win the World Cup and a pair of continental titles on either side.

Now the Albiceleste will go for an unprecedented fourth straight major tournament title.

Just getting the chance is an unbelievable achievement for a team that, despite its recent record, was not considered one of the favorites to win this World Cup.

And maybe they won’t. Still, who would bet against this team? A day before the match, Scaloni said the following: “We have a culture where we never write off a match as lost.”

Before Wednesday’s epic, Argentina came back from near death a couple of times during the knockout stage. On this day, they stared the Grim Reaper in the face and laughed. While Spain might be the better team on paper, that piece of paper will mean nothing when the World Cup final kicks off.

2.  Heartbreak For England Again

For England, a 60-year World Cup drought will continue for at least another four years.

Getting to Sunday’s title match at New York New Jersey Stadium would have cleared a major hurdle on the way to breaking that streak. As Tuchel said on Tuesday, they’ve been knocking on the door for the last eight years. 

This was the Three Lions’ second World Cup semifinal appearance in three tournaments; they also lost the final of the European Championship in 2020 (which was played in 2021 because of the global coronavirus pandemic) and 2024.

Tuchel signed a contract extension before this World Cup. England will be one of the contenders for Euro 2028. Still, captain Harry Kane will be 34 then, with no obvious replacement coming up behind him. It’s hard to imagine Jude Bellingham being better than he was over the last few games, though both superstars were quiet against Argentina.

The point is, there is no guarantee that this sort of opportunity will come around again in the next few years. Just ask anyone who is old enough to remember that glorious summer in London 60 years ago this month. This was a chance squandered — one England’s players and fans will be thinking about for a long time to come. “We were very, very close today,” a visibly devastated Tuchel said after Wednesday’s loss. 

Said Kane: “We just need to find that missing piece in the final stage of the tournament.”

3. Argentina’s Understudies Steal The Show

In a match stocked with superstars, it was Messi’s supporting cast that came to his rescue on Wednesday. For the second time in three matches, defensive-minded midfielder Fernández scored a hugely important goal to help keep Argentina in the World Cup.

Martínez, the captain of Inter Milan and for years now the best player in all of Italy’s Serie A, would start for just about any other country. Yet he played the hero off the bench again, as he did by sealing the Albiceleste’s quarterfinal win over Switzerland last Saturday, just as he scored the game-winner over Colombia in the 2024 Copa final.

“This experience is just incredible,” Martínez said post-game in the bowels of the stadium. “The work, the sacrifices, everything come came to fruition.” 

Not even the greatest player ever wins alone. Though Messi might be the straw that stirs the drink and the inspiration for the rest of his teammates, he’ll need help to hoist another World Cup on Sunday. Win or lose, that help will be there.

4. A Fitting Final For The Greatest World Cup Ever

Both Argentina and England entered Wednesday’s contest knowing what was in store should they prevail, with Spain having defeated France in Dallas a day earlier to advance to the decisive match of the biggest sporting event on the planet. Now we all know.

It’s a fitting end to what will go down as the greatest World Cup of all time. Spain is the reigning European champion, having beaten this same English squad two summers ago in the Euro 2024 final. Argentina has claimed the last two Copa América titles as South America champions. Oh, and they also happen to be the World Cup holders.

As we saw with their ferocious showing against the English in Atlanta, the Albiceleste will not relinquish their hard-earned crown without a knock-down, drag-out fight — even against a team that is considered the stronger one by the sports books. Lionel Messi & Co. are trying to become the first repeat World Cup champion since Brazil, led by Pele, repeated all the way back in 1962.

Spain has everything to play for, too. For all their pedigree, La Roja has won just one World Cup, in 2010. The pre-tournament favorites are determined to add to that tally with the help of a player many consider as Messi’s most obvious successor: 19-year-old fellow Barcelona academy product Lamine Yamal.

“It’s going to be a very special match,” Martínez said. “This is a place where dreams can come true.”

England vs Argentina Highlights 2026 FIFA World Cup™ | Semifinals

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At the 2026 World Cup, Lionel Messi and Argentina have owned the final minutes in the knockout rounds.

Wednesday’s rally past England in the World Cup semifinals — Argentina trailed 1-0 late before winning 2-1 — only added another entry on the long list of late-game dramatics by the defending champions, who will now play Spain in Sunday’s final.

Among them: A pair of rallies from late-game deficits in the knockout stage, coming back from 2-0 down to beat Egypt and then 1-0 down to beat England.

A breakdown of Argentina saving its best for last in this World Cup:

June 22: Messi Seals Group Stage Win Over Austria

— Minute: 90+5

— Final: Argentina 2, Austria 0

In the second match of the group stage, the outcome wasn’t necessarily in doubt. Argentina led 1-0 in second-half stoppage time, when Lionel Messi got his own rebound and threaded a blast between three defenders for an insurance goal that sealed the victory.

June 27: Messi Scores Late Once Again

— Minute: 80th

— Final: Argentina 3, Jordan 1

Argentina led 2-1 in the group finale, and Lionel Messi — who had just entered the game as a sub — had a free kick from about 25 yards out. He saw a gap in the wall of Jordan defenders, sending a low shot that skipped once and went into the back of the net for the clincher.

July 3: Messi Sets Up Cape Verde Own Goal

— Minute: 92nd, then 111th

— Final: Argentina 3, Cape Verde 2

The first match of the knockout stage was wild, with Argentina getting two extra-time goals and needing both to hold off the Cinderella story that was Cape Verde. Lisandro Martínez scored in the 92nd minute for a 2-1 lead, and Messi served up a perfect ball off a corner kick that became an own goal in the 111th minute — the one that gave Argentina a 3-2 win.

July 7: Three-Goal Rally vs. Egypt

— Minute: 79th, 83rd, then 90+2

— Final: Argentina 3, Egypt 2

The champions looked done in the round of 16, with Egypt up 2-0 with 11 minutes left before second-half stoppage time. And then the comeback of the tournament happened, with Cristian Romero scoring in the 79th minute, Messi connecting four minutes later and Enzo Fernández getting the game-winner two minutes into stoppage time.

July 11: A Pair Of Late Goals Against Switzerland

— Minute: 112th, then 120+1

— Final: Argentina 3, Switzerland 1

Switzerland was down to 10 men, but sent its quarterfinal with Argentina to extra time anyway. And eventually, Argentina got the breakthrough: Julian Alvarez scored the go-ahead goal in the 112th minute, then Lautaro Martinez scored in the final moments as the champions moved into the semifinals with a 3-1 victory.

July 15: Messi Leads Argentina To World Cup Final With Two Assists

— Minute: 85th, then 90+2

— Final: Argentina 2, England 1

Enzo Fernández scored in the 85th minute, Lautaro Martinez scored two minutes into stoppage time and Messi assisted on both goals as Argentina rallied from a 1-0 deficit to beat England 2-1 and move into the World Cup final. Those goals gave Argentina a staggering 11 tallies in the 79th minute of play or later in this tournament.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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If you thought Lionel Messi’s reign was over, think again. Argentina’s international hero came through again in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinals, delivering two clutch assists in La Albiceleste’s 2-1 comeback win over the Three Lions on Wednesday.

Argentina’s chances of advancing to back-to-back World Cup finals looked slim as it entered the 84th minute down 1-0. But if Argentina has shown anything in this tournament, it’s that it can always find a way as long as there’s time on the clock.

Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernández finally broke the deadlock in the 85th minute, burying a clutch goal into the top-left corner of the net.

Enzo Fernández Scores Stunning Goal to Bring Argentina Level Against England | 2026 FIFA World Cup™

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Seven minutes later, in the second minute of stoppage time, striker Lautaro Martinez completed the comeback with a powerful header to give Argentina the 2-1 lead.

Lautaro Martínez nets go-ahead goal in stoppage time against England | 2026 FIFA World Cup™

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Both of these goals were assisted by Messi, Argentina’s beloved GOAT.

The result sent the sports world into a frenzy, with everyone from NFL legend Tom Brady to NBA champion Jalen Brunson sharing their feeling of shock and awe. Here were the best reactions on X from the match:

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Harry Kane is still processing that England blew the World Cup semifinal against Argentina.

With the stunning nature of the 2-1 defeat, it’ll be some time before the 32-year-old captain decides his future for the national team. However, the man who took him down on Wednesday offers some hope that the 2026 World Cup won’t be Kane’s last.

At 39 years old, Lionel Messi’s ability to play at such a high level and keep Argentina’s World Cup title defense alive into the 2026 World Cup final is inspiring to Kane.

“As you see on the other end with Leo there, he’s still performing at the highest level. So I never want to put a limit on these things,” Kane said. “It’s too early to talk about that. Again, me as a person, it’s about taking it year by year.”

(Photo by Steph Chambers – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

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Kane was instrumental in getting England back to the World Cup semifinal. He scored six goals and recorded one assist.

Despite playing striker, he dropped back, contributing to the build-up play numerous times. Kane did so again on Wednesday to help England score first on Anthony Gordon’s 55th minute goal.

England’s Anthony Gordon scores goal to take lead vs Argentina | 2026 FIFA World Cup™

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But after dominating the group stage and scoring in knockout round games against DR Congo and Mexico, Kane failed to score in England’s quarterfinal match against Norway and semifinal match against Argentina. 

That could leave a bad taste in his mouth and motivate him to return for the 2030 World Cup, seeking to change the narrative, and finish his national team career on a better note.”

Playing for England, Kane said, is “my pride and joy.” It’s what he “loves to do more than anything.”

That love for England could drive him to come back for a fourth World Cup tournament in 2030, but confirmation of that reality may not come for a while. 

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Argentina and Spain are set to meet in Sunday’s FIFA World Cup final, where Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal will square off in a star-studded matchup that bridges soccer’s past, present and future.

FOX Sports soccer analysts Thierry Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimović reacted to Argentina’s comeback win over England on Wednesday. 

For Henry, Sunday’s final is about more than just Spain and Argentina. It’s a clash between one of the best the game has ever seen against one of the brightest young stars in the sport today.

“For me, what else do you want? European champion versus South American champion and world champion,” Henry said. “Lamine Yamal versus Lionel Messi. The future and this guy [Messi] is the past, present and the future and forever. I’m excited to see that.”

Lionel Messi has the chance to lead Argentina to back-to-back World Cup titles, while the 19-year-old Yamal can bring Spain its first championship since 2010 and further cement himself as one of soccer’s brightest young stars in what feels like a passing-of-the-torch showdown.

The debate quickly shifted to an even bigger question: Who will win the World Cup final between Argentina and Spain?

Henry declined to make a prediction, saying Messi’s history with Argentina and his legendary career at Barcelona made it too difficult to pick a side.

“I actually didn’t finish one,” Thierry said. “It’s because of what Leo [Lionel Messi] represents in Spain. He played all his career there and the fear that they might be facing someone stronger than any other human being because of what they’ve seen so many times in their country.”

Ibrahimović shared Henry’s view but believes Spain has the tools to handle Argentina because its style of play matches up well against the defending champions.

“Spain handled France very good. … I believe they can handle Argentina,” Ibrahimović said. “They’re going to play their possession. Argentina is not a counterattack team like the way they played today. They were attacking, but I believe Spain is going to do their thing.”

Ibrahimović believes Spain’s path to its first World Cup title in nearly two decades will come down to patience. If they can remain composed and control the tempo, he believes Spain has what it takes to dominate Argentina and come away with the win.

“You’re going to challenge on the sides with Yamal and I believe Argentina if they don’t have patience, they’re going to hunt the ball and lose patience,” Ibrahimović said. “I believe Spain is going to dominate that game.”

As he continued to break down the matchup, Henry pointed to Spain’s dominance in possession as one of its biggest strengths.

“Now you have these two competing cultures clashing in this final,” Henry said. “What we saw yesterday from Spain, in terms of the possession, I don’t think that’s necessarily going to change against a team like Argentina. Here tonight [against England], they showed up.”

Argentina once again found a way, scoring twice in the closing minutes to complete another comeback victory over England. The question now is whether Messi and Argentina have enough left in the tank to take down a well-rounded Spain side.

“Is this the night where they took that last scoop? I don’t know,” Henry said. “Are you going to bet against them with a guy like Messi and with what this team is? There always seems to be a little bit of water in this Argentinian well and it served them well.”

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Expanded playoffs make it harder to predict whether Tarik Skubal and other choice acquisitions will be dealt before the Aug, 3 trade deadline.

Twenty-three of the 30 teams are within four games of a playoff position heading into the season’s second half, which opens Thursday with the back-in-contention Philadelphia Phillies hosting the woeful New York Mets.

“You’ve got a lot of really good teams that were on the bubble that have gotten in and kind of made it,” Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper said. “Anybody that has an opportunity to get in, anything can happen and that’s what makes our sport great.”

Skubal, a two-time Cy Young Award winner who can become a free agent after the World Series, is the most prominent possible trade bait. The 29-year-old left-hander is 2-3 with a 3.62 ERA in six starts for the Detroit Tigers since surgery on May 6 to remove a loose body from his pitching elbow.

He returned to a big league mound on June 13 after Dr. Neal ElAttrache operated with a NanoNeedle scope 2.0, a miniaturized, flexible version of the traditional arthroscope.

Detroit was 22-38 at the start of June — at 16 games under matching the 1914 Braves (12-28) as the most under .500 of a team that rebounded to reach the postseason, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The Tigers are 22-14 since and trail by 3 1/2 games for the last AL wild card, needing to overcome six teams. Their performance in 16 games before the deadline will help determine whether they are buyers or sellers.

Minnesota’s Joe Ryan and the Mets’ Freddy Peralta also could become available. The Mets also could deal left-handed relievers Brooks Raley and A.J. Minter to contenders and San Francisco may try to jettison second baseman Luis Arraez.

Baseball’s only division leads of more than three games are held by the Los Angeles Dodgers (11 1/2) and Milwaukee (five).

“There are some middling teams that are potentially going to finish stronger and some teams that are front-running right now that might fall back to the pack,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “It’s what the fans wanted. It keeps everyone involved through September, as many teams as possible.”

Just seven teams of the 30 teams are more than four games out of a wild-card berth: the Athletics (6 1/2), Cincinnati (eight), Kansas City and the Los Angeles Angels (10 each), the Giants (10 1/2), the Mets (12) and Colorado (13 1/2).

“I think having more teams involved and more fan bases feeling like there’s something to play for later in the season is always good,” said Toronto pitcher Dylan Cease, the All-Star Game winner.

Phillies Rebound After Mattingly Becomes Manager

Philadelphia fell to 9-19 when Rob Thomson was fired on April 28 and replaced by Don Mattingly. The Phillies are 44-24 since and trail NL East-leading Atlanta (55-40) by two games.

Harper thinks a key to the turnaround was when Zack Wheeler rejoined the rotation on April 25 after surgery last August for thoracic outlet syndrome. Wheeler is 10-1 with a 2.13 ERA.

“Once we got Wheels back, I think everybody kind of took a deep breath,” Harper said. “That helped a lot of our other starting pitching kind of just fall into place.”

Red Sox Hottest Team Going Into Second Half

Boston fired Alex Cora after a 10-17 start and the Red Sox are 36-31 under Chad Tracy, ending the first half with their first 9-0 road trip since 1977.

Despite a 46-48 record, the Red Sox trail by just a half-game for the last wild card in an AL that has just five teams with winning records.

“We’ve done a much better job overall with our approach,” Tracy said. “We’re taking more pitches. We’re seeing more pitches against starters. We are getting starters deep in counts earlier in games. We’re scoring runs in the first five innings of the game and letting our starting rotation pitch with a lead.”

If the Red Sox struggle in the next few weeks, closer Aroldis Chapman and starter Sonny Gray could get dealt.

First-Round Byes At Stake

Three of the four teams that had first-round byes last year advanced to League Championship Series: Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Seattle and Toronto. Among the teams emerging from Wild Card Series, only the Dodgers won their Division Series.

Having the bye allows teams to reset their rotations and assure opening the Division Series with their best starters.

Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler thought back to New York losing the AL East title and the bye to Toronto on a tiebreaker last year.

“Every game matters,” he said.

Reporting by the Associated Press.

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For decades, England fans have sung “It’s Coming Home” as they hope to will the Three Lions to their first major tournament title since 1966. Those chants have come to no avail, though, as evidenced by England’s World Cup semifinal loss to Argentina on Wednesday. 

England blew a 1-0 lead late in Wednesday’s semifinal match against Argentina, giving up the game-tying goal in the 85th minute before Lautaro Martínez scored the game-winner in extra time. 

The loss marked just the latest heartbreak for England at a major tournament since its World Cup win in 1966. While the Three Lions haven’t made it back to the World Cup final since their last win, they’ve reached the final of the Euros twice since then. 

So, as England went through another heartbreaking loss on Wednesday, here’s a look back at some of its other dramatic losses since its last World Cup victory. 

WORLD CUP

  ‘Hand Of God’ In 1986

Diego Maradona scored two iconic goals in a span of four minutes to eliminate England from the 1986 quarterfinals. Maradona later claimed that this goal was scored by ‘The Hand Of God’. (Photo by Archivo El Grafico/Getty Images) –>

England was eliminated in the quarterfinals at the 1986 World Cup, thanks to one of the most controversial goals in the history of the sport. In the 51st minute, Argentina star Diego Maradona leveled the match against England with the infamous “Hand of God” goal. Four minutes later, Maradona scored another infamous goal, swerving by England’s defense to score the game-winner in what would later become known as the “Goal of the Century.” 

  Tearful End In 1990

England was on the doorstep of reaching the World Cup final in 1990, before things unraveled against West Germany. After scoring the 80th-minute equalizer, England suffered some heartbreak in extra time and penalty kicks. Paul Gascoigne received a yellow card that would’ve disqualified him from playing in the final, leading to a memorable image of him crying.

Gascoigne’s yellow card didn’t play into the final result against West Germany. However, it became the moment of England’s loss, as the Three Lions missed their final two penalty kicks and fell, 4-3. 

  Beckham’s Red Card In 1998

A second-half red card for David Beckham left England with ten men before a 4-3 penalty shootout defeat to Argentina in 1998. (Photo by Arnold Slater /Daily Mirror/Mirrorpix via Getty Images) –>

Argentina was on the right side of an England heartbreak again in 1998. In the round of 16, David Beckham received a red card for a foul he committed early in the second half. Somehow, England was not only able to keep the match level with just 10 men, but it also scored a goal in extra time that would’ve given it the lead. However, Sol Campbell’s potential go-ahead goal was called back due to a foul on the goalkeeper.

Argentina was able to prevail in penalty kicks.

  Losing To Croatia In 2018

In 2018, the door opened for England to reach the final. England took an early 1-0 lead in the semifinal against Croatia, but allowed a 68th-minute equalizer that forced extra time. Croatia’s Mario Mandžukić scored the game-winning goal in the 109th minute, and England wasn’t able to pull through to force penalty kicks. 

  Kane’s Missed PK In 2022

England got the opportunity to potentially knock out defending World Cup champion France in 2022, and it put up a strong fight. Harry Kane scored a penalty kick in the second half to level the match, before France took a 2-1 lead in the 78th minute. Yet, England had a golden opportunity to even the match when it was awarded a penalty kick in the 82nd minute. However, Kane was able to score on a penalty kick again, completely missing the net. 

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  Blown Lead To Argentina

For the third time since its last World Cup win, England suffered another heartbreaking loss to Argentina at the World Cup on Wednesday. Anthony Gordon gave the Three Lions a 1-0 lead in the 55th minute, giving his side the advantage in a tight match. 

But some questionable tactical changes by England coach Thomas Tuchel allowed Argentina to make a comeback. Lionel Messi dished out two assists in the final minutes, including one that set up Lautaro Martínez to score the game-winner on a header in extra time. 

England vs Argentina Extended Highlights 2026 FIFA World Cup™ | Semifinals

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EUROS

  PK Heartbreak Begins In 1996

England’s penalty kick nightmares in the World Cup have also carried into its exits at the Euros. In the semis of the 1996 tournament, England and Germany exchanged early goals that set up the match to go into penalties. Both sides made their first five penalty kicks, before Germany scored on its sixth try and England’s Gareth Southgate was unable to score on the sixth try. 

  More PK Heartbreak in 2004

Darius Vassell missed a penalty kick in England’s loss to Portugal in 2004. (Photo by Christof Koepsel/Bongarts/Getty Images)

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England’s loss to Portugal in the quarters of the 2004 Euros was pretty wicked. It blew a 2-1 lead in the 83rd minute, but forced penalty kicks with a goal in the 115th minute. However, Portugal edged out England in penalties, winning 6-5 in seven rounds as David Beckham and Darius Vassell didn’t score on their tries. 

  First PK Heartbreak vs. Italy

If Argentina has been the biggest thorn in England’s side at the World Cup, then Italy has been the biggest thorn in its side at the Euros. It battled Italy to a scoreless draw through 120 minutes in the semis at the 2012 Euros, forcing another dramatic session of penalty kicks. But as Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney scored for England in penalties, Ashley Young and Ashley Cole didn’t score, allowing Italy to win the penalties, 4-2. 

  Falling To Italy In The Final

England’s loss to Italy in the final of the 2020 Euros might be its most painful on this list. It took an early 1-0 lead in the second minute, but Italy equalized in the 67th minute. While England wasn’t able to score again, it was in control during penalties. The Three Lions took a 2-1 lead through the first two rounds, but Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka all failed to score on their tries. Italy scored on two of its final three penalty kicks, and England came up short at Wembley. 

  Losing In Final Minutes

Once again, England was on the precipice of winning the Euros in 2024. Cole Palmer scored the equalizer against Spain in the 73rd minute, as it appeared the match would go into extra time. Right before stoppage time, though, Spain star Mikel Oyarzabal scored an impressive goal that gave his side a 2-1 lead en route to victory. 

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It all comes down to this: Spain and Argentina will meet in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on Sunday at New York New Jersey Stadium in the world’s most important game. It is a clash between two elite national teams who both put on remarkable performances in their respective semifinal wins. 

It pits the reigning European champion who is undefeated in its last 14 games in major tournaments (13 wins and one draw) against a team whose success is unparalleled, like the two-time reigning Copa América holders and the defending World Cup champion.

Here is everything you need to know about the FIFA World Cup final:

Spain vs. Argentina: How To Watch

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• Time: Sunday, July 19, 3 p.m. ET 
• Where: New York New Jersey Stadium
• TV: FOX
• Stream: Watch 3 days free on FOX One

Winning any major international tournament is exceptionally hard as it takes world-class talent, top coaching, no off days, and even a little bit of luck. On Sunday, Argentina will attempt to win its fourth consecutive major tournament in what would be an unprecedented feat. 

Of course, the accomplishment was made possible by Lionel Messi, who is widely regarded as the greatest player of all time.

What is striking about Messi’s career is that most of his international success began at the age of 34 with the 2021 Copa América, when he was named the tournament’s best player in leading Argentina to its first title since 1993. Then he won the World Cup in 2022 at the age of 35, where he was again named the best player. Argentina repeated the Copa América title in 2024 in the United States despite Messi scoring just one goal and leaving the final injured. 

Now at the 2026 World Cup, Messi has once again continued to dominate the tournament at the age of 39. He scored Argentina’s first five goals of the tournament and only three of the team’s 14 goals in the last five games. What is so impressive, is that in the last five games he has actually played his best because he has been elevating his teammates. 

Against England, Messi took advantage of England’s defensive shift after the Three Lions took a 1-0 lead. He then assisted on Enzo Fernández’s equalizer in the 85th minute and Lautaro Martinez’s stoppage time winner. Messi has instead helped to balance the team’s attack and give it more versatility. 

Argentina has an incredible amount of talent and Messi has helped to bring it all to its potential. Lionel Scaloni also has this team playing with raw intensity and a desire to win that has not been matched. Argentina has been vulnerable at times in this tournament, such as trailing Egypt by two goals late, or trailing England 1-0 into the 85h minute. But Argentina has excelled when its back has been against the wall.

If there is any team that can match Argentina’s intensity, it is Spain. La Roja played a near perfect game in its 2-0 win over France in the semifinal. What makes Spain so great is that all the players are so deeply committed to the system implemented by head coach Luis de la Fuente. 

No team in this tournament can pass and move as well as Spain. Once Spain has possession, it is extremely difficult to win it back. Then on the defensive side, Spain knows how to shut down spaces and force turnovers. 

Everyone in Spain plays a role in its system, but Rodri is the glue that makes the team move. Against France, the Manchester City central midfielder put on a world-class shift in terms of connecting the ball from the midfield and into the attack. Then defensively, he forced France into turnovers. He also won a significant percentage of his duels to keep Spain in possession. 

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Spain’s attack is led by teenager Lamine Yamal and veteran forward Mikel Oyarzabal, who spent his entire career at Real Sociedad as opposed to the top clubs where elite center forwards play. Oyarzabal has been a perfect center forward for Spain’s system, and he typically finds ways to score big goals. Yamal, on the other hand, is a teenage superstar at Barcelona who is on the verge of becoming the next global superstar. Of course, if the winger can now in the World Cup, he will be on a path reserved for only the greatest players.

The architect of Spain’s rise is de la Fuente. The team has become completely dedicated to his vision. During his tenure, Spain won all seven of its games at Euro 2024 and now has won six of seven at this World Cup. The only blemish he has in a major tournament leading Spain is a 0-0 draw with Cape Verde. 

But de la Fuente has created a team that is extremely difficult to break down. Through seven games, La Roja conceded just one goal. In the semifinal, world-class attackers Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé never looked dangerous. De la Fuente’s team is as prepared as any team this decade to contain Messi.

This game has no clear favorites. Just two great teams led by global stars. It will be an extremely hard-fought game and the winner will be a worthy champion. 

Players To Watch

Forward · Argentina

Everyone needs to watch Lionel Messi in this game because this might be the last chance to see the greatest player of all time play in an important game for his country. He is looking to win his fourth straight major title for La Albiceleste and add to his record 21 career World Cup goals. At age 39, Messi is only continuing to get better. With his two assists against England, he now has eight goals and two assists in this tournament. He became the first player ever to have over 10 goal involvements in consecutive World Cups after scoring seven and assisting on three goals in 2022. 

Midfielder · Argentina

Chelsea’s Enzo Fernández has a critical assignment on Sunday. As a central midfielder, he will be tasked with going against the heart of Spain’s system in the middle of the field where Rodri and Fabian Ruiz typically dictate the game on their terms. Fernandez had a great performance against England. Even beyond his goal, Fernandez was very effective in his passing where he made few mistakes, switched the point of attack, and regularly got the ball into dangerous positions. He needs to be just as effective against Spain for Argentina to have a good chance. 

The 19-year-old central defender might be the best centerback in the world after what he has shown in this tournament. Already a regular starter for Barcelona, Cubarsí has been even more impressive with Spain as he is a major reason why his team has conceded just one goal across its seven games at the World Cup. Handling Argentina will require another big effort, but if he is successful, he will widely be considered a global superstar and the most valuable player in the world at his position. 

The Manchester City central midfielder is the engine of Spain’s system. He is a tireless worker who is so effective on both sides of the ball. He will present Argentina with the toughest test it has faced at this World Cup. If he can control the midfield and force Argentina into chasing the game the way France did, Spain has an excellent chance of winning. For La Roja, it starts with him. 

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The NFC East has been a premier division in the NFL since the start of this century: Four Super Bowl champions, double-digit NFC title game appearances and a 20-year stretch where the division saw no back-to-back champions. 

That run ended with the Eagles repeating last season after winning the division in 2024. 

However, I do not predict a third straight division title for the Eagles.

Let’s get into my best bets for the NFC East next season.

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NFC East Winner

The race for the NFC East is between the Cowboys and Eagles, although I could see either the Commanders or Giants pushing to be in the conversation. 

The Eagles have all the pieces in place to win the division again, but I’m concerned about the offense. My concern starts with coaching. The Eagles have another offensive coordinator for quarterback Jalen Hurts, and it’s a first-time play-caller in Sean Mannion. 

Mannion is only in his third year of coaching, after spending nearly a decade in the NFL as a backup quarterback. Mannion brings the Shanahan offense to Philly, and it’s a complete change to what the Eagles have done in the past. The Shanahan offense will move Hurts more under center and will turn the run game into more outside zone. This offense has produced recent MVP winners and Super Bowl champions, but that is with experience at either of those positions. 

How does an offense that might not fit the strengths of the quarterback pair with a first-time play-caller? The Eagles lost A.J. Brown, and the offensive line is beat up and aging. 

I just don’t like the feel of this offense heading into next season.

The Cowboys roster is far better than it’s given credit. Dak Prescott is in the second tier of NFL quarterbacks, but he might be near the top of that list. He’s been fantastic when healthy, and in Year 1 under Brian Schottenheimer he threw for 4,552 yards and 30 touchdowns. 

Dallas has a star duo of receivers with CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. It also has a good tight end and running back, as well as an above-average offensive line.

The Cowboys’ issue last season was the defense, or lack thereof. They couldn’t rush the passer after they traded away Micah Parsons, so they hit rushers hard to improve the defense this spring. They traded for Rashan Gary, drafted Malachi Lawrence in the first round and drafted LT Overton in the fourth round. Those guys join Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams, whom the Cowboys added via the Parsons trade last season. 

To improve the secondary, Dallas drafted Caleb Downs, and also added Cobie Durant and Jalen Thompson in free agency. At linebacker, DeMarvion Overshown will start this season healthy after only playing five games last season. The defense was better with him in the lineup.

In short, the ‘Boys have elite offensive personnel with a healthy Prescott and a much improved defense. Their coaching staff is into Year 2, and I’d expect growth from it as well. 

Schwartz’s Pick: Cowboys to Win NFC East (+235)

Jalen Hurts Rushing Over/Under

Jalen Hurts’ rushing attempts have continually decreased since 2022. He went from 165 attempts in 2024 down to 105 last season. He rushed for over 600 yards in both 2023 and 2024, before rushing for only 421 last season. 

As quarterbacks get older, they tend to slow down on their rushing attempts. They become less mobile and less willing to take hits. Injuries start to pile up, so they avoid punishment as much as possible. 

On top of that, Hurts will now play in an offense that won’t look to use his legs as much. He’ll be under center more than in the gun. There will be fewer zone reads and more running back carries. 

I think Hurts is Under rushing this season

Schwartz’s Pick: Jalen Hurts Under 400.5 Rushing Yards (-110)

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ATLANTA STADIUM — Watching Argentina’s coach speak the day before his team produced one of the most epic semifinal comebacks in World Cup history, it was impossible not to think that Lionel Scaloni was trying to soften the potential blow for the soccer-crazy nation’s almost 47 million citizens.

La Albiceleste has been so successful under the unassuming 48-year-old — winning a World Cup and two Copa América crowns in the last five years — that the prospect of losing has become almost incomprehensible to most fans. Maybe even to Argentina’s players, who never seem to know when they’re beaten.

Scaloni, the thinking went, had to be the realist among the dreamers.

And then, midway through the press conference that followed Wednesday’s win — a victory that will see Argentina face Spain in Sunday’s World Cup final just outside New York City — he revealed that he and his staff had begun scouting La Roja before actually advancing to the championship match.

“We’ve analyzed the game a little bit,” Scaloni said of Spain’s 2-0 win over France in the other semi, which was played in Dallas on Tuesday. “It’s a great team. I would say they deserved to win that semifinal. They played very well. They beat a team that I thought was very difficult to beat, and they beat them squarely.

“We also saw them at that point as a potential rival,” he continued. “And now we’ve analyzed them a bit more.”

(Photo by Marvin Ibo Guengoer – GES Sportfoto/Getty Images)

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It was a low-key astonishing admission. Every half-decent coach, in any sport at any level, implores their players never to look ahead as a matter of course. Control what you can. Focus on only the task in front of you, or risk getting sidetracked.

Yet there was Scaloni, already preparing for a title bout that might never come. It’s as if he knew, having watched his players grind their way to victory at every turn since being hired to lead his country in 2018 — not least in the 2022 World Cup final, when they squandered two leads against a more talented Les Bleus squad and yet still found a way to prevail — that such prep work was necessary.

“I think that this team plays the best when we are facing a difficult situation with adversity,” Scaloni said after defeating England, which led 1-0 with just five minutes of the regular 90 remaining. “We had a challenging game, a challenging situation. We smelled blood in the water, and we went for it.”

Now comes the ultimate test.

(Photo by Hector Vivas – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

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It’s a special match for Scaloni and many of his players. Lionel Messi is a Spanish citizen who moved to Barcelona as a child to follow his dreams of becoming an elite professional. Although Messi left Europe for South Florida three years ago to join Inter Miami of MLS, he remains immensely popular everywhere in Spain with the possible exception of Madrid, the home of Barça’s chief rival.

“Not all Spaniards love him, but the majority do,” Scaloni said of Messi. “He’s very special for them as well, [as] the best player in history.”

(Photo by Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images)

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Seven of the 26 men on Argentina’s roster play for Spanish clubs. Scaloni himself lives in Mallorca with his Spanish wife and children; he once played for the La Liga club there and represented Deportivo La Coruña and Racing de Santander, too. He’s become friends with La Roja coach Luis de la Fuente.

“Everybody knows that I’m in Spain, have a Spanish family, and on Sunday — though I’m very, very sorry — I’m going to try to beat Mr. De la Fuente,” he said.

After Wednesday, how can anyone not like Argentina’s chances of becoming the first repeat World Cup champ since Brazil in 1962?

Nobody is more sure of his team than its coach. 

“We’re going to win the final,” Scaloni said, before seeming to catch himself. “We’re going try to win the final,” he clarified. 

“I know how special this team is,” he added. “We’ve got to prepare for the game, but everybody has to celebrate as well. There are very few moments that we have where we can just be truly joyful. Tomorrow, we have to think about what’s next.”

England vs Argentina Extended Highlights 2026 FIFA World Cup™ | Semifinals

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