Former England captain Alan Shearer has admitted that Argentina deserved their place in the final of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating England 2-1 in a dramatic semifinal clash.
England looked set for victory after Anthony Gordon gave the Three Lions the lead in the 55th minute with a close range finish.
However, the defending champions mounted a strong comeback as Enzo Fernández equalized five minutes from time before Lautaro Martínez headed home the winning goal in stoppage time.
Reacting after the match, Shearer praised Argentina’s resilience and quality, saying the better team won on the night.
“I think the better team won. You have got to be open and honest about it. Their reaction was brilliant. They hit the post a few times and England got lucky.
“How they did not panic, how they stuck to their game plan and believed in what they were doing was impressive. The substitutions worked for them and you have to respect the way they came back into the game. They deserve to be in the final on Sunday, as much as it hurts to say that,” Shearer said.
