England vs Argentina: Player Ratings from 2026 World Cup Semifinal

The 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinal between England and Argentina was a match full of twists. England looked set to reach the final after Anthony Gordon's early second-half goal, leaving Argentina just minutes away from elimination. Yet, the defending champions staged an unforgettable comeback led by Lionel Messi, who assisted twice to help his team overturn the deficit and win 2-1.

Messi’s assists set up Enzo Fernandez for a stunning long-range equalizer and Lautaro Martinez for the winning goal, coming off the bench in the dying moments. England, managed by Thomas Tuchel, collapsed under pressure after opting to defend too deeply, allowing Argentina to seize control late.

Below are detailed player ratings from both teams based on their performances throughout the match at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. The game was officiated by Ismael Elfath (USA).

England Starting XI

Formation: 4-2-3-1

• GK: Jordan Pickford
• RB: Reece James
• RCB: John Stones
• LCB: Marc Guehi
• LB: Djed Spence
• CM: Declan Rice
• CM: Elliot Anderson
• RW: Morgan Rogers
• AM: Jude Bellingham
• LW: Anthony Gordon
• ST: Harry Kane

Argentina Starting XI

Formation: 4-4-2

• GK: Emi Martinez
• RB: Nahuel Molina
• RCB: Cristian Romero
• LCB: Lisandro Martinez
• LB: Nicolas Tagliafico
• RM: Giuliano Simeone
• CM: Alexis Mac Allister
• CM: Leandro Paredes
• LM: Enzo Fernandez
• RF: Lionel Messi
• LF: Julian Alvarez

England Player Ratings (out of 10)

• Ezri Konsa (72'): 2 – Defensive substitution that backfired, beaten for the winning goal.
• Dan Burn (82'): 3 – Minimal impact with few touches.
• Nico O'Reilly (82'): 4 – No passes attempted in limited time.
• Ivan Toney (90'): N/A – Came too late to affect outcome.
• Marcus Rashford (90'): N/A – Could not influence the comeback.

England Coach

Thomas Tuchel: 2 – Team was well-positioned until his defensive shift and substitution of Gordon. Choosing to sit deep too soon allowed Argentina to dominate and snatch victory.

Argentina Player Ratings (out of 10)

• Nico Gonzalez (65'): 8 – Solid defensively and offensively, helped maintain pressure.
• Gonzalo Montiel (72'): 7 – Key in attack after coming on.
• Nicolas Otamendi (72'): 8 – Perfect passing, helped keep possession high.
• Rodrigo De Paul (72'): 8 – Strengthened midfield, excellent substitute showing.
• Lautaro Martinez (81'): 8 – Scored winning goal late after coming off the bench.

Argentina Coach

Lionel Scaloni: 7 – Argentina struggled early but adjustments and persistence paid off. Bringing on Lautaro Martinez was risky but ultimately decisive.