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Sixty years. That’s how long England has been waiting for its World Cup victory drought to finally run its course. Heck, England, believed to be the birthplace of soccer, the most popular game of the planet, and home to the best professional league on the globe, hasn’t even been to a World Cup final since 1966, when Geoff Hurst scored a hat trick, at Wembley against West Germany, in a victory that expected to surely usher in a glorious era for soccer royalty. 

No more trophies came England’s way. But on Wednesday afternoon in Atlanta, England was a mere five minutes away, plus stoppage time, from going back to the final for the first time in six decades, and coming one precious step closer from exorcizing all its World Cup demons.  

Five minutes plus stoppage time. Scant time—but enough, it turned out, for the defending champs, and the game’s greatest ever player, Lionel Messi, who with this World Cup performance, at 39, has officially ended all debate on that GOAT matter, to crush England’s soul once again. 

Argentina is moving on to face Spain in the World Cup final on Sunday at New York New Jersey Stadium, after beating England 2-1 in a thrilling semifinal in Atlanta. If the Spain-Argentina final offers half the combination of drama, stellar play, and heartbreak that Wednesday’s semifinal provided, the 2026 World Cup, which is already setting all kinds of attendance and viewership records, will go out on a proper high note. 

England finally broke through a scoreless draw in the 55th minute, when Anthony Gordon’s difficult finish of a Morgan Rogers cross gave England the 1-0 lead. Gordon, a Barcelona winger, became a true household name in the Round of 16, when Mexico coach Javier Aguirre jokingly told him “f— you” in front of worldwide TV cameras. He’d now be known for so much more, if England could just hold on. 

The Three Lions were content to stay back on their heels, and load all their players in a defensive posture to stop Argentina from tying up the game. 

There’s an argument to be made—in soccer, football, basketball, and many other games—to keep attacking, even when you have an advantage. If an aggressive style got you the lead, why stop? Go with what got you there. 

But England went into a prevent defense, a strategy from England manager Thomas Tuchel, a German, that will be picked apart by the English press, and in pubs, for the next hundred, two hundred years. 

For Argentina kept knocking on the door. One attempt hit the post. The defending champs controlled possession for the latter part of regulation. But England could still taste survival. Until the 85th minute, when Messi, off a short corner kick,  attracted three defenders while dribbling in. Messi spotted teammate Enzo Fernández, open, near the top of the box. Fernández took the Messi pass and rocketed a long-distance angular beauty into the net to tie the game. 

All wasn’t yet lost for England. But just seven minutes later, in the second minute of stoppage time, a second Messi assist broke the Three Lions. A shot from Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister hit the post. Messi tracked down the loose ball, and dribbled towards the box before firing an absolutely perfect right-footed cross onto the head of Lautaro Martínez, who finished England’s dreams, and extended its pain. 

Especially the particular, and sizable, portion of that pain that stems from England’s matchups against Argentina in the World Cup. In 1986, Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal in the quarterfinal made the difference in England’s 2-1 loss in Mexico City. A dozen years later, wunderkind David Beckham was pilloried for receiving a red card against Argentina in the second half of their Round of 16 clash at the 1998 World Cup in France; Argentina prevailed in a shootout, and the abuse heaped on Beckham marked a sad chapter in English football history. 

Can England take some consolation that, at least this time, it was Messi’s sublime playmaking that felled them? 

Doubtful. At least not yet. All this history, plus a pair of finals appearances, and heartbreaking losses, in the most recent European championships is just too painful right now. England, given the potential of ending the 60 years of futility, was a sentimental favorite to emerge from the final four powers at this World Cup, which also included Argentina (who last won in 2022), France (2018) and Spain (2010). ”I've suffered so many times,” former England striker Gary Lineker, who lost at the Hand of God in 1986, said on a recent podcast. “I just want us to win it before I die. Just once, just once, please” 

Poor Gary, and his fellow citizens of England. They will have to wait, and wait, and wait. Messi, meanwhile, moves on. He now has eight goals and four assists in this World Cup: he’s contributed a goal or assist in each of Argentina’s seven World Cup wins this summer. For the first time in a World Cup final, the reigning European champs (Spain) will face the reigning South American champion (Argentina). Messi and his mates will attempt to become the first team to win back-to-back World Cup titles since Brazil, who did it in 1958 and 1962.

Argentina will chase history. England will go home. Again.