Lionel Messi produced another decisive performance as Argentina came from behind to beat England 2-1 at Atlanta Stadium in Georgia and book a place in the FIFA World Cup final for the second consecutive tournament.
The defending champions will face Spain in Sunday’s final in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where they will have the opportunity to win a fourth World Cup title.
England looked set to take control of the semifinal after Anthony Gordon opened the scoring in the 55th minute.
Morgan Rogers delivered a perfectly placed ball from the right side, allowing Gordon to beat his defender before calmly finishing into the corner past Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
Argentina struggled to find a way back into the match, but Messi once again stepped up when his team needed him most.
In the 85th minute, the Argentine captain dropped his shoulder and picked out Enzo Fernandez in space around 20 yards from goal. Fernandez made no mistake, placing his effort into the side netting beyond Jordan Pickford to bring Argentina level.
The comeback was completed in the second minute of stoppage time.
Alexis Mac Allister’s shot struck the post, but Messi reacted quickly to recover the ball. He then drove down the right side and delivered a brilliant cross for Lautaro Martinez, who headed home the winner to seal a dramatic 2-1 victory.
Messi finished the semifinal with two assists, taking his tally at the tournament to eight goals and four assists. He has also now recorded a tournament-record 12 career World Cup assists.
England had been hoping to reach the World Cup final for the first time since 1966. However, the late defeat means the Three Lions will have to wait another four years for another opportunity.
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