Rosario, July 16: Argentina booked their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final after coming from behind to beat England 2-1 in a dramatic semi-final at the Atlanta Stadium on Thursday. As the team celebrated on the field, fans in Lionel Messi's hometown of Rosario marked the moment with a special tribute that quickly went viral on social media.
A helicopter flew a giant Argentina No. 10 jersey over the Parana River waterfront in Rosario. The jersey carried the message "Gracias Leo" ("Thank you, Leo") and passed the National Flag Monument, where thousands of fans had gathered to celebrate Messi and the national team.
On the field, England took the lead in the 55th minute through Anthony Gordon and looked set to reach the final. But Argentina made a stunning comeback in the closing minutes.
Lionel Messi played a key role in the turnaround. In the 85th minute, he set up Enzo Fernandez for the equaliser. Then, in stoppage time, Messi delivered another perfect cross for Lautaro Martinez, who headed home the winner in the 92nd minute.
Messi finished the match with two assists as Argentina secured a place in the World Cup final. The victory also keeps Argentina's hopes alive of defending the title they won in Qatar in 2022.
Argentina will now face Spain in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday (July 19).
