Lautaro Martinez told reporters he dreamt of scoring the winning goal in a World Cup semi-final. Then, on July 15, 2026, he went ahead and did exactly that, burying a stoppage-time winner against England to seal a 2-1 comeback and send Argentina to the final.
From bench player to national icon
The Inter Milan captain entered the tournament without a single World Cup goal to his name. That changed in the quarter-finals against Switzerland on July 11, when Martinez came off the bench and scored Argentina’s third goal in the 121st minute to lock down a 3-1 extra-time victory.
Four days later, he topped himself. Facing England in the semi-final, Argentina trailed before mounting a comeback that Martinez completed with a goal deep into stoppage time. Final score: 2-1. Argentina, the defending champions, marched into yet another final unbeaten.
Fan tokens and the World Cup effect
