Messi, 39, Leads Argentina to World Cup Final Thriller

Argentina kept their dream of back-to-back World Cup titles alive with a heart-stopping 2-1 victory over England in Atlanta, scoring twice in the final seven minutes to complete a remarkable comeback.

Lionel Messi, still dominating at 39 years old, assisted on both late goals as Argentina refused to let their championship hopes slip away. The victory sets up a Sunday showdown with Spain in New Jersey, where Argentina can become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to win consecutive World Cups.

England looked destined for their first World Cup final in 60 years when Anthony Gordon put them ahead in the 55th minute. But Argentina had other plans.

The defending champions poured forward relentlessly in the closing stages, creating wave after wave of attacks. Enzo Fernandez finally broke through in the 85th minute, smashing home an equalizer from outside the box with help from Messi.

Still Argentina pushed. In stoppage time, substitute Lautaro Martínez rose to meet another Messi cross and headed the ball home, sending the Argentina-dominated crowd into delirium.

The Ripple Effect

The victory sparked spontaneous celebrations across Argentina. Thousands of fans flooded Buenos Aires' famous Obelisk, blocking major streets and singing traditional anthems late into the night.

Similar scenes erupted across the country, with cars and trains honking their horns in celebration. Around 800 police officers were deployed just to manage the joyful crowds in the capital.

Messi, playing in his eighth goal of the tournament to lead the Golden Boot race, praised his teammates' character after the match. "The story never ends," the captain said, reflecting on another dramatic victory for a team that has made comebacks their trademark this tournament.

Coach Lionel Scaloni captured the team's spirit perfectly. "This group never stops surprising me," he said. "We are unique, truly, and it's not arrogance, it's from the heart."

For England, the loss marks another painful near-miss. They've reached at least the semifinals in four of their past five major tournaments without capturing the trophy.

Now Argentina faces one more challenge: defeating Spain, the reigning European champions, to cement their place in soccer history.