Argentina forward Lautaro Martinez, left, heads the ball to score Argentina's winning goal during the 2026 World Cup semi-final match against England at the Atlanta Stadium.
Lautaro Martínez produced one of the defining moments of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Wednesday night, coming off the bench to score a dramatic stoppage-time winner as Argentina beat England 2-1 to book their place in the final.
For the second straight game, Martinez has come on as a substitute for Argentina when they needed him and the 28-year-old delivered one of the most important goals.
With England leading 1-0 and seemingly on course for a first World Cup final appearance since 1966, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni made a bold attacking switch in the 80th minute, replacing left-back Nicolás Tagliafico with Martínez in search of a breakthrough.
The substitution transformed the contest. Martínez immediately gave England defenders a different challenge with his movement and physical presence, pinning the centre-backs deeper and creating more room for Argentina's midfield to operate.
