What England vs Argentina means for World Cup

Road to the Final

Argentina's 2-1 victory sends them through to the World Cup final, where they will face the winner of the other semi-final. England's tournament ends in the last four despite taking the lead in Atlanta.

The result hands Argentina genuine momentum heading into the showpiece match. They have now won a knockout tie against one of the tournament favourites, a significant scalp at this stage. England, meanwhile, depart with the consolation of a third-place playoff to contest, though that will offer little comfort after coming so close to a final appearance.

For Argentina, this is their second consecutive World Cup final - a remarkable achievement that underlines their consistency at the sport's biggest event. They arrive in the decider having overcome stiff resistance and shown the resilience required to win tournaments. England will have to regroup quickly if they are to salvage something from their campaign in the bronze-medal match, though their focus will inevitably turn to lessons learned and preparation for the next cycle.