World Cup 2026 Soccer Argentina, England meet in World Cup semifinal on similar paths of survival By Michael Duarte Published July 14, 2026, 10:59 p.m. ET See more of our coverage in your search results.
Add The New York Post on Google For all the talk about destiny, resilience and championship DNA, there is another word following Argentina everywhere it goes at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Whether you believe the reigning champions have earned every break or benefited from a remarkable run of favorable circumstances depends largely on which jersey you wear.
But as Argentina prepares to face England on Wednesday night in Atlanta with a place in the World Cup Final at stake, one thing is undeniable: no semifinalist has generated more debate over how it got here.
Fans have coined the nickname “VARgentina,” flooding social media with memes depicting FIFA president Gianni Infantino wearing Argentina’s famous sky-blue stripes or pushing Lionel Messi in a toy car toward another trophy. For supporters in Egypt and Switzerland, the knockout rounds have felt more like a courtroom drama where replay review has seemingly always ended in Argentina’s favor.
Against Egypt in the Round of 16, Argentina looked destined for elimination. Egypt thought it had doubled a 1-0 lead after producing one of the tournament’s finest goals, only for VAR to intervene and erase it. Argentina rallied from two goals down late to tie the match before finding a dramatic stoppage-time winner. Egypt was furious, with players and coaches openly questioning whether FIFA wanted Messi’s farewell World Cup to continue.
In the quarterfinal against Switzerland, Argentina was on its heels midway through the second half after the Swiss equalized in the 67th minute. Then another lengthy VAR review completely altered the match.
Referee João Pinheiro initially booked Argentina’s Leandro Paredes before video review determined Breel Embolo had simulated contact. Because Embolo had already been cautioned, the decision became a second yellow and an emotional red card. Switzerland played the remainder of the match a man down, and Julián Alvarez eventually buried the winner in extra time.
There’s no denying that the defending champions have benefited from three penalties, two opposition goals overturned by VAR, an own-goal winner against Cape Verde and a decisive red card in the quarterfinals. Together, it has become ammunition for critics to spout conspiracy theories.
However, inside Argentina’s camp, luck or conspiracies are not part of the vocabulary.
“We knew we were going to suffer,” manager Lionel Scaloni said. “In Qatar, we were not that experienced, myself included. But now we are more experienced. We know what it feels like to be dominated by an opponent, to be equalized, and we know how to keep our composure. We will never give up.”
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“The important thing is that we keep fighting until the very end,” Alvarez said after his extra-time winner against Switzerland. “We never stop believing. We have to know how to suffer. That’s just the way these matches have gone. These knockout matches are decided by the smallest details.”
“Our greatest strength is the group itself,” Almada said. “Sometimes you have to suffer, and that’s happened to us several times during this World Cup. The important thing is that we’ve always found a way to get through it.”
José Manuel “Flaco” López perhaps summed up Argentina’s mentality best.
“Winning this way, having to suffer until the very end, is special,” López said. “This group has the privilege and the honor of being the defending World Cup champions. We also have the greatest player of all time on our team, and I think that makes us different.”
England’s path to the semifinal tells an equally compelling story.
Harry Kane rescued the Three Lions late against Congo. England survived more than 40 minutes with 10 men against Mexico. Against Norway, a controversial SkyCam incident preceded Jude Bellingham’s equalizer before VAR erased what appeared to be Norway’s go-ahead goal. Even manager Thomas Tuchel admitted afterward his side had been fortunate.
Like Argentina, England has become a team defined less by dominance than by survival.
Both teams have their flaws, and have had to dig themselves out of late-game holes. Messi has repeatedly delivered defining moments for Argentina. Bellingham and Kane have done the same for England.
“This is as big as it gets,” Kane said. “One of the best teams, the reigning world champions, in a World Cup semifinal. It’s what you dream about as a kid.”
History, controversy and football have always collided whenever England and Argentina share the same field, from the 1966 World Cup to Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” and beyond.
“It’s a rivalry with a great deal of history,” López said. “But we’re professionals. We don’t need any extra motivation beyond a World Cup semifinal. The great players live for games like these.”
Whether Argentina is battle tested, blessed or simply benefiting from every bounce the football gods can offer may never be universally agreed upon. Wednesday night offers the defending champions one final opportunity to prove that their place in the semifinals was earned rather than gifted.
Because against England, they won’t be able to hide behind luck.
