Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni struggled to contain his emotions after his side’s dramatic 2-1 victory over England in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final at Atlanta Stadium secured a place in Sunday’s final against Spain.
The defending champions came from behind to book their spot in a second consecutive World Cup final, with Lionel Messi providing two crucial assists as Argentina struck twice late in the game to break England hearts.
Speaking after the match, Scaloni praised his players for their character, resilience and unwavering determination throughout the tournament.
“Well, I’m lost for words. A great happiness for our country and our people. And another great happiness for this group who never stop surprising me and never know when they are beaten.
“I can tell them that we are going to try to win, we’re going to leave it all out there, but the truth is that to do this is very difficult. It’s very difficult for people to understand what our players have given. It is so impressive.
“We are unique. It’s not arrogance, it is all heart. Today so many people arrived here to support us and for that I am truly grateful – they helped us to victory. This shirt merits us giving absolutely everything possible until the very end. To not spare anything at all.”
While Messi did not get on the scoresheet against England, the Argentina captain once again proved decisive. His two assists took his tally for the tournament to four and strengthened his position in the race for the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot.
Messi currently leads the standings alongside France star Kylian Mbappe on eight goals. However, the Argentine legend now holds the advantage because he has registered four assists compared to Mbappe’s three. If both players finish the tournament with the same number of goals, assists will determine the winner of the award.
The current Golden Boot standings are led by Lionel Messi with eight goals and four assists, followed by Kylian Mbappe with eight goals and three assists. Norway striker Erling Haaland remains in contention with seven goals, while England duo Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane both have six goals and one assist each. France winger Ousmane Dembele has five goals and two assists, while Spain forward Mikel Oyarzabal has five goals and one assist.
All of those players except Haaland still have one match remaining. France and England will meet in Saturday’s third-place play-off before Argentina and Spain clash in Sunday’s World Cup final.
Argentina’s latest triumph also added another chapter to their rich World Cup history. The Albiceleste have now reached the World Cup final for the seventh time and only the second time they have achieved back-to-back final appearances, having previously done so in 1986 and 1990.
Sunday’s showdown will also create a unique piece of football history. The 2026 World Cup final between Argentina and Spain will be the first ever World Cup final contested between the reigning Copa America champions and the reigning European champions.
With Messi inspiring another comeback and Scaloni’s side continuing to find ways to win, Argentina now stand one victory away from retaining the World Cup and cementing their place among the greatest international teams of the modern era.
