Reigning world champions Argentina could face punishment for breaking FIFA rules immediately after their 2-1 win over England on Wednesday night. Lionel Messi and co. are through to their second successive World Cup final, but once again left it late to progress in Atlanta, Georgia.

Messi sprang into life with just seven minutes remaining. His first assist set up Enzo Fernandez’s long-range equaliser, cancelling out Anthony Gordon’s opener, before his second found the head of substitute Lautaro Martinez, who made no mistake in sealing a dramatic win over their age-old rivals.

England fans have quickly blamed Thomas Tuchel’s decision to go ultra-defensive for the Three Lions’ continued failure to end their 60-year wait to bring football home. Meanwhile, any murmurs of corruption and scandal surrounding Argentina are likely to persist, as the players appeared to break a FIFA rule during their full-time celebrations.

Argentina Players Break FIFA Rule After Dramatic England Win

Nathan Ray Seebeck / IMAGN Images via Reuters

During their post-match celebrations, the South Americans were found to have flouted the rules of the world football governing body. FIFA have a clear stance that prohibits any political flags, slogans and symbols from being displayed inside stadiums.

Yet, Argentina could now face punishment for their actions, according to the Express, after a banner read ‘Las Malvinas son Argentinas’ which references the 1982 Falklands War and translates to ‘The Malvinas (Falklands) are Argentine.’ The incident (as seen below) is expected to be reported to FIFA.

La Albiceleste manager Lionel Scaloni had tried to ease pre-match tensions when he declared it “wrong” to make the match about the conflict. Tensions remain around the Falklands, and Argentina still disputes the sovereignty of the British overseas territory.

Despite those calls to limit its political undertones, players and fans have regularly chanted about the matter throughout the knockout stages, while Argentina’s vice president caused a huge stir with her social media post ahead of the semi-final clash.

FIFA Have Already Shown Leniency With Argentina Over Falklands Tension

REUTERS/Dylan Martinez

On each occasion, Argentina have been brought up for political messages that could quite easily stir tension between themselves and England, FIFA’s bosses have refused to step in and follow their own rules. So whether Scaloni’s side will be punished for another rule break remains to be seen.

The blind-eye approach – despite having taken flags away from Iran and England earlier in the tournament for a wide range of reasons – is not a good look for Gianni Infantino, given a petition signed by more than 10 million people is already accusing him of favouritism towards the champions.

Allegations continue to be made against him and his run-ins with Argentina. Their quarter-final opponents – Egypt – were certain football’s top dogs wanted Messi in the final for marketing reasons, and if that really is the case, then Spain will be hoping they can overcome that so-called corruption this coming Sunday night at MetLife Stadium.

England’s 60-year wait for a trophy continues after their dramatic 2-1 loss to Argentina in the World Cup semi-final, thanks to a sublime Enzo Fernandez goal and a Lautaro Martinez header.

England started the game well and took the lead through Anthony Gordon, but they weren’t able to fend off the reigning world champions, which means Argentina will now face Spain in the final.

The final at MetLife Stadium on Sunday evening between Argentina and Spain will break a longstanding 44-year World Cup final record.

2026 World Cup Final Breaks 44-Year History

Reuters/Brett Davis

For the past 44 years, every World Cup final has had a unique stat, one that has failed to be broken. It isn’t a stat that necessarily affects the game itself, but it is still unique and something that a specific club can boast about.

The record in question is that every World Cup final for the past 44 years has always featured a Bayern Munich player. Without fail, for the past 44 years, the German powerhouse has always had a player to cheer on at least one of the teams in the final.

However, since England have been eliminated from the tournament following their loss to Argentina, it means the last Bayern player still in the tournament, Harry Kane, has been sent home, meaning that the 2026 World Cup final won’t feature a single Bayern player.

Whilst the stat won’t have an effect on the final between Argentina and Spain, it does bring an end to one of the unique stats in football, although the final still does have the chance to break another record that has stood for a much longer time.

Lionel Messi Could Break 64-Year Record

REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed

Whilst the 44-year Bayern Munich record may have been broken, Lionel Messi and his Argentina teammates have the chance to break a 64-year record that is arguably even more impressive than any other record.

After their 2022 tournament win, Argentina could be the first team in 64 years, since Brazil in 1958 and 1962, to win the World Cup back-to-back. It would leave an outstanding mark on Messi’s legacy if he could break one final record in what could be his final ever World Cup.

It will be no easy task, however, with Spain winning the European Championships just two years ago, and having been one of the best sides in the tournament, as they put in a very strong performance against France in the semi-final, as they won 2-0.

The World Cup final on Sunday evening will be a top showdown between two of the best teams in football, and this longstanding record could give Messi that one extra push of motivation he needs to get his team across the finish line as he closes the final chapter of his career.

However, following Harry Kane’s exit from the tournament, it means a 44-year record has been broken, and one of the last unique ongoing stats in football has finished.

England supporters have piled the blame on one man following their heartbreaking World Cup semi-final loss vs Argentina on Wednesday night. The Three Lions got the taste of their own medicine in Atlanta as, despite taking the lead through Anthony Gordon, they fell to a late 2-1 loss after Lionel Messi assisted both Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez.

It now means the nation will have to wait longer than 60 years before ending a well-documented international trophy drought, with their first and last appearance at a World Cup final coming in 1966, when they went all the way and won it under Sir Alf Ramsay. They are also still yet to beat a nation that ranks in the top four of FIFA’s Mens Rankings at a major tournament.

There will be a lot of fallout over the coming days, weeks, months, and possibly years depending on how well England bounce back. Some will hail the determination shown up until the semi-final, while others will suggest the players simply aren’t the quality hopefuls make them out to be. But the vast majority are in agreement over whose to blame for the late collapse.

England Fans Pin Most of the Blame on Same Man After World Cup Exit

Nathan Ray Seebeck (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters)

Thomas Tuchel was appointed by the English FA at the back end of the Euro 2024 final loss because of his track record of getting things right at the crucial times of major tournaments.

However, while the general consensus was that the German head coach had got things right up until this week’s clash, nobody can help but feel his decision to sit back and defend England’s slender lead ultimately cost them a place in the final. As Wayne Rooney put it during a segment with the BBC: “I think the decisions Thomas Tuchel made – and we have to be honest on this – have cost us tonight,” as an X user also remarked:

Another wrote: “We have praised Thomas Tuchel throughout this World Cup, but today he got it wrong,” while others weren’t as forgiving, as the former Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss was also labelled an ‘Absolute bottlejob’ and ‘washed beyond belief.”

Meanwhile, someone else poetically concluded: “Thomas Tuchel’s ridicule will be studied in history books as one of the greatest acts of cowardice in sports. With the score at 0-1, he sent England to hunker down in their own half and handed the match to Argentina on a silver platter. The defeat is entirely his.”

Nathan Ray Seebeck / IMAGN Images via Reuters

Ultimately, while there will be positives and negatives to take away from yet more tournament heartbreak, the reality is that England may not be as good as everyone makes out. If that wasn’t made abundantly clear during the Golden Generation at the start of the 2000s, then constant near-misses under Gareth Southgate and Tuchel should be a gentle reminder.

That’s not to say the country’s population shouldn’t be grateful for the summers they’ve been given recently, especially considering hope had run completely dry in periods before and after the mid-2000s. But if they’re really serious about winning silverware, then the mission still looks a long way from finishing.

More to follow…