{"id":6503,"date":"2026-07-15T08:06:44","date_gmt":"2026-07-15T03:06:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=6503"},"modified":"2026-07-15T08:06:44","modified_gmt":"2026-07-15T03:06:44","slug":"argentina-england-meet-in-world-cup-semifinal-on-similar-paths-of-survival","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=6503","title":{"rendered":"Argentina, England meet in World Cup semifinal on similar paths of survival"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F2%2F2026%2F07%2Fnewspress-collage-xolut53st-1784083414482.jpg?quality%3D90%26strip%3Dall%261784069041\" \/><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>Lucky.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Lionel Messi of Argentina runs with the ball during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Quarter Final match between Argentina and Switzerland at Kansas City Stadium on July 11, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. <span class=\"credit\">2026 Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Fans have coined the nickname \u201cVARgentina,\u201d flooding social media with memes depicting FIFA president Gianni Infantino wearing Argentina\u2019s 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\u2019s favor.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module aligncenter wp-block-nypost-editor-primary-tag\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>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\u2019s 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\u2019s farewell World Cup to continue.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>Referee Jo\u00e3o Pinheiro initially booked Argentina\u2019s Leandro Paredes before video review <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/07\/12\/sports\/switzerland-outraged-over-controversial-world-cup-red-card\/\">determined Breel Embolo had simulated contact<\/a>. 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 Juli\u00e1n Alvarez eventually buried the winner in extra time.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Breel Embolo (L) of Switzerland vies with Leandro Paredes of Argentina during the quarterfinal match between Argentina and Switzerland at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Kansas City on July 11, 2026. <span class=\"credit\">Xinhua\/Shutterstock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>However, inside Argentina\u2019s camp, luck or conspiracies are not part of the vocabulary.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe knew we were going to suffer,\u201d manager Lionel Scaloni said. \u201cIn 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.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That belief has become Argentina\u2019s identity.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe important thing is that we keep fighting until the very end,\u201d Alvarez said after his extra-time winner against Switzerland. \u201cWe never stop believing. We have to know how to suffer. That\u2019s just the way these matches have gone. These knockout matches are decided by the smallest details.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Midfielder Thiago Almada echoed the sentiment.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur greatest strength is the group itself,\u201d Almada said. \u201cSometimes you have to suffer, and that\u2019s happened to us several times during this World Cup. The important thing is that we\u2019ve always found a way to get through it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Jos\u00e9 Manuel \u201cFlaco\u201d L\u00f3pez perhaps summed up Argentina\u2019s mentality best.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWinning this way, having to suffer until the very end, is special,\u201d L\u00f3pez said. \u201cThis 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.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>England\u2019s path to the semifinal tells an equally compelling story.<\/p>\n<p>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\u2019s equalizer before VAR erased what appeared to be Norway\u2019s go-ahead goal. Even manager Thomas Tuchel admitted afterward his side had been fortunate.<\/p>\n<p>Like Argentina, England has become a team defined less by dominance than by survival.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Harry Kane of England salutes the fans after winning the FIFA World Cup 2026 Quarter Final match between Norway and England at Miami Stadium on July 11, 2026 in Miami Gardens, Florida. <span class=\"credit\">Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cThis is as big as it gets,\u201d Kane said. \u201cOne of the best teams, the reigning world champions, in a World Cup semifinal. It\u2019s what you dream about as a kid.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>History, controversy and football have always collided whenever England and Argentina share the same field, from the 1966 World Cup to Diego Maradona\u2019s \u201cHand of God\u201d and beyond.<\/p>\n<p>Now another chapter awaits.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a rivalry with a great deal of history,\u201d L\u00f3pez said. \u201cBut we\u2019re professionals. We don\u2019t need any extra motivation beyond a World Cup semifinal. The great players live for games like these.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>Because against England, they won\u2019t be able to hide behind luck.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>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. Lucky. 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&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6504,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/newspress-collage-xolut53st-1784083414482.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&1784069041&w=1200","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6503","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-hub"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6503","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6503"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6503\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6504"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6503"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6503"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6503"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}