ATLANTA (AP) — England desperately wanted to protect its lead as time was winding down in its World Cup semifinal against Argentina. Coach Thomas Tuchel made lineup and strategy changes to build a wall in front of the goal.
Argentina and Lionel Messi simply kicked it down.
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England head coach Thomas Tuchel reacts on the touchline during the World Cup semifinal soccer match between England and Argentina in Atlanta, Wednesday, July 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
England's Anthony Gordon (18) is dejected at the end of the World Cup semifinal soccer match between England and Argentina in Atlanta, Wednesday, July 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
England's Anthony Gordon (18) and England's Jude Bellingham (10) react after the World Cup semifinal soccer match between England and Argentina in Atlanta, Wednesday, July 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Argentina's Enzo Fernandez (24) reacts after their win the World Cup semifinal soccer match between England and Argentina in Atlanta, Wednesday, July 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)
England's Harry Kane (9) reacts after the World Cup semifinal soccer match between England and Argentina in Atlanta, Wednesday, July 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
England led 1-0 late in the second half before Messi assisted on goals by Enzo Fernández in the 85th minute and Lautaro Martínez in the second minute of stoppage time to give Argentina a wild 2-1 victory Wednesday and a spot in the World Cup final against Spain.
Tuchel's tactical choices in one of the biggest matchups in one of soccer's biggest rivalries will likely be scrutinized and criticized for years. England missed its chance to return to the World Cup final for the first time since 1966.
“They won every header. They kept crossing and crossing. So we went to a back five to close the gaps inside and be stronger in the air,” Tuchel said.
“Straight after our goal, with no substitutions, we just conceded way too many crosses and way too many chances. So we tried to help,” Tuchel said. “But of course the responsibility is on the coach. And … if it doesn’t go well, it’s easy to say that it was wrong.”
Tuchel’s chess moves couldn’t contain Messi, the maestro of Argentina’s attacks. In the 38 minutes between England's goal and Argentina's winner, Argentina held a whopping 88% of the possession, according to Opta.
It was only the second time this century that a team scored first in a World Cup semifinal and failed to reach the final, according to Opta. The other blown lead was also by England, in 2018 against Croatia.
England took the lead on Anthony Gordon's goal in the 55th minute. But Argentina quickly switched the momentum with furious pressure on England's defense.
To protect the lead, England drew closer and closer to its own goal, hoping to build the sort of impenetrable wall it had when it held on to beat Mexico in the round of 16 despite being down to 10 players.
Tuchel swapped defender Reece James for Dan Burn, and midfielder Declan Rice for defender Nico O’Reilly in the 82nd minute.
“It’s disappointing to give up the space that we did in those final 20 minutes,” England captain Harry Kane said. “It allowed not just (Messi), but the other players to grow into the game and feel more confident and ping balls into dangerous areas. In the end, it was too much for us to stop.”
Fernandez struck barely three minutes after the England substitutions, scoring on a precise right-footed strike from just outside the penalty area. Messi set up the play with a pass to his teammate, and England defenders failed to close him down before he ripped the shot that curled past diving goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
The defending champion kept coming and England's wall kept crumbling. Argentina hit the crossbar and missed another header across the mouth of the goal before Martínez sealed it with a close-range header when England defenders lost him on a cross from Messi.
“They got tired,” Martínez said. “They pressed for 60 minutes and then just ran out of steam. They got their goal and then sat back. That gave us more composure to move the ball around and stretch the pitch.”
England’s defense had earned plaudits after previous matches, especially for how it hunkered down during the second half of a 3-2 win over Mexico in the round of 16, as El Tri peppered their opponent's back line with cross after cross. But that came as England was down a player due to a 54th-minute red card on Jarell Quansah.
Burn, the 6-foot-7 (2-meter) defender who shined during that stand in Mexico City, said Wednesday's approach did not work out.
“Off the ball, we defended probably a little bit too deep,” Burn said. “With the quality of chances that Argentina were creating, I felt like it was a matter of time. ... To be 10 to 15 minutes away from the World Cup final — we really probably should have seen that through.”
Vertuno reported from Austin, Texas.
See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here
England head coach Thomas Tuchel reacts on the touchline during the World Cup semifinal soccer match between England and Argentina in Atlanta, Wednesday, July 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
England's Anthony Gordon (18) is dejected at the end of the World Cup semifinal soccer match between England and Argentina in Atlanta, Wednesday, July 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
England's Anthony Gordon (18) and England's Jude Bellingham (10) react after the World Cup semifinal soccer match between England and Argentina in Atlanta, Wednesday, July 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Argentina's Enzo Fernandez (24) reacts after their win the World Cup semifinal soccer match between England and Argentina in Atlanta, Wednesday, July 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)
England's Harry Kane (9) reacts after the World Cup semifinal soccer match between England and Argentina in Atlanta, Wednesday, July 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
NEW YORK (AP) — New York City’s official World Cup guide lists no less than 100 free places to take in soccer’s biggest tournament on big screens. One place that isn’t listed? The city’s notorious Rikers Island jail complex, better known for its overcrowding and violence than for hosting social events.
More than 100 inmates were rewarded with a special viewing of the World Cup semifinal match Wednesday between England and Argentina because of their model behavior behind bars.
The inmates, dressed in tan uniforms, took seats at tables facing a large projection screen set up in a gymnasium. The jail has hosted about 90 such watch parties since the tournament kicked off last month, with about 4,500 of the roughly 6,600 inmates incarcerated on the 400-acre island participating, correction officials said.
“Programs like this equal safety in our jail,” said Stanley Richards, the city’s correction commissioner and a former Rikers inmate. “What we say to them is that your humanity is seen, heard and valued.”
The scene Wednesday was in sharp contrast to complaints about Rikers Island that have been so bad in recent years that a federal judge appointed an outside manager to help improve the facility.
On Tuesday, that federal overseer, former Vermont Department of Corrections head Nicholas Deml, submitted a plan for reforms that underscored the continued dysfunction at the facility, which opened in 1935.
The report described one instance when inspectors arrived at a housing unit to find it filled with smoke from fires set by prisoners, blaring alarms and people pounding on their cell doors. In another incident, prisoners streamed through an unsecured door and brawled after a guard abandoned his post.
“Violence remains pervasive, basic correctional practices remain unreliable, and unconstitutional conditions persist,” the report said.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has vowed to honor a 2019 city law mandating the closure of Rikers, paid a short visit to Wednesday’s watch party.
With his white shirt sleeves rolled up, the Democrat took a seat at a table and immediately started chatting about the tournament.
One of the inmates said he expected Argentina to prevail over England and go on to face Spain, which had defeated France the day earlier.
“You never know,” said Mamdani, a professed Morocco fan.
At another table, an inmate told the mayor he was going home later in the day. “That’s amazing,” Mamdani said, patting his back.
The jailhouse crowd erupted in a mix of groans and cheers as England struck first with a goal early in the second half.
Ralph Veal was among the minority of England fans who raised his arms in celebration as Argentina supporters grimaced and looked away dejectedly. The 53-year-old Mount Vernon resident, who has been incarcerated since November, said he’s rooting for England because it’s his 20-year-old son’s favorite team.
“I’m sitting at the table with Argentina fans, but it’s all right,” Veal said shortly before the England goal. “The energy is real positive in here.”
Victor Caldas was among the legion of Argentina fans who jumped out of their seats hugging and clapping and banging the tables as the team took a decisive 2-1 lead in stoppage time, and then went on to win a spot against Spain in the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday.
The 39-year-old, who has been incarcerated for four months, has been rooting for Argentina since his home country of Ecuador was knocked out of the tournament.
Caldas said he appreciated being able to watch the game uninterrupted among fellow soccer fans and not having to compete with other inmates for use of the television in his housing unit.
Thomas McCoy was among those simply relishing a rare treat: a catered meal. The buffet spread included salad greens, salmon, penne alla vodka and chicken parmesan, along with Snapple drinks.
“It’s not a sports club, we can’t get our drinks on and stuff like that. That’s OK though,” said the 52-year-old Brooklyn resident. “I’ve been locked up 21 months, so it’s been a long time since I had real food like that. It was a wonderful experience.”
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks with inmates on Rikers Island as they watch the World Cup semifinal soccer match between England and Argentina on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Rikers Island inmate Ralph Veal celebrates as England scores during the World Cup semifinal soccer match between England and Argentina, at the jail complex in New York, Wednesday, July 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Rikers Island inmate Ralph Veal celebrates an English goal with a corrections officer during the World Cup semifinal soccer match between England and Argentina, at the jail complex in New York, Wednesday, July 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Rikers Island inmate Victor Caldas, an Argentina fan, reacts during the World Cup semifinal soccer match between England and Argentina, at the jail complex in New York, Wednesday, July 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Rikers Island inmates watch the World Cup semifinal soccer match between England and Argentina, at the jail complex in New York, Wednesday, July 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks with Rikers Island inmates as they watch the World Cup semifinal soccer match between England and Argentina, at the jail complex in New York, Wednesday, July 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Rikers Island inmates react as New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, not pictured, leaves the jail complex during a World Cup semifinal soccer match watch party for the game between England and Argentina, in New York, Wednesday, July 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks with Rikers Island inmates as they watch the World Cup semifinal soccer match between England and Argentina, at the jail complex in New York, Wednesday, July 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Rikers Island inmates watch the World Cup semifinal soccer match between England and Argentina, at the jail complex in New York, Wednesday, July 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Rikers Island inmates react as they watch the World Cup semifinal soccer match between England and Argentina, at the jail complex in New York, Wednesday, July 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
