Lautaro Martínez says he told his Argentina and Liverpool teammate Alexis Mac Allister before coming on as a substitute that he would score — and that is exactly what he did, heading in a Lionel Messi cross in stoppage time to send Argentina into the FIFA World Cup 2026 final with a 2-1 victory over England.

Martínez entered the pitch in the 81st minute. Within minutes, he had delivered on his bold promise, nodding home to complete a dramatic comeback at the semi-final stage.

How the comeback unfolded

England had taken the lead through Anthony Gordon, after which the Three Lions retreated and defended their 1-0 advantage for long stretches. The plan held until the 85th minute, when Enzo Fernández struck a leveller to drag Argentina back into the contest.

Martínez's header in added time then completed the turnaround — a style of victory that has defined Argentina's campaign throughout this tournament.

Martínez speaks

Speaking after the final whistle, Martínez was in an elated mood, revealing that he had visualised the moment before it arrived.