Lionel Messi once again proved why he remains the heartbeat of Argentina’s World Cup ambitions, inspiring a stunning late comeback to sink England 2-1 in a pulsating semi-final at Atlanta Stadium on Wednesday and send the defending champions into a second consecutive World Cup final.

For long stretches, it looked like England’s night. Thomas Tuchel’s side broke the deadlock in the 55th minute when Harry Kane instigated a swift counterattack that ended with Morgan Rogers picking out Anthony Gordon, who finished calmly from close range. The goal capped a cagey opening period in which neither team managed a single shot inside the first half hour, and for a time England appeared content to sit deep and protect their lead, with Tuchel bringing on more defensive-minded substitutes to shore things up.

But Argentina, and Messi in particular, had other ideas. With the clock ticking down and elimination looming, the Argentine talisman began to dictate the closing stages. His fingerprints were all over the equaliser in the 85th minute, setting up Enzo Fernández to level the score and breathe fresh life into his side’s title defence. Then, deep into second-half stoppage time, Messi produced the moment that will define the match. After Alexis Mac Allister’s effort cannoned off the post for a second time in the night, Messi pounced on the loose ball, held off pressure to reset the play, and lofted a inch-perfect cross into the box for Lautaro Martínez to head home the winner and complete a dramatic turnaround.

The victory extended Messi’s remarkable individual record, as he has now scored or provided an assist in 11 consecutive World Cup matches, the longest such streak by any player since records of this kind began in 1966. It also continued a pattern that has defined Argentina’s campaign in this tournament, with the team repeatedly finding a way to score when time seems to be running out.

For England, the pain of a semi-final exit will sting deeply. Jude Bellingham and Kane, who had combined for a dozen goals across the tournament, were unable to make a telling impact in the closing stages, managing just a single shot between them after taking the lead. It marks the closest England have come to a World Cup final since their solitary triumph in 1966, and questions will now turn to whether this core of players, with Bellingham still expected to be in his prime by the next tournament, can go one step further in four years’ time.

Argentina, meanwhile, will now turn their attention to Spain, who dispatched France 2-0 in the tournament’s other semi-final.

Sunday’s showpiece in New York/New Jersey presents Lionel Scaloni’s side with the chance to become the first nation to defend the World Cup title since Brazil managed the feat in 1958 and 1962, a milestone France narrowly missed four years ago when they were denied by Argentina. For a team that has repeatedly been pushed to the brink in this tournament only to find late inspiration, the belief within the camp is that destiny may be on their side once more.

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