Tapia says England victory was Argentina’s true test at 2026 World Cup

Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia says Argentina’s 2-1 victory over England in the 2026 World Cup semi-final carried greater emotional and psychological weight than their defeat by Spain in the final.

The president of the Argentine Football Association said the responsibility felt by the players towards their supporters made the meeting with England exceptionally difficult, despite Argentina ultimately reaching the final.

“The emotional burden and the responsibility the players carried so they would not let the Argentine people down was greater than what they felt when playing against Spain,” Tapia told Argentine broadcaster TyC Sports.

“It was like winning the World Cup.”

Argentina, the defending champions at the time, fell behind against England after Anthony Gordon scored in the 55th minute at Atlanta in the United States on 15 July.

Enzo Fernandez equalised in the 85th minute before Lautaro Martinez completed the comeback by scoring the winning goal in the second minute of stoppage time.

Tapia said the supporters had identified the semi-final as a match Argentina could not afford to lose, placing an intense emotional demand on Lionel Scaloni’s side.

“The fans made them feel that this was the match they had to win,” he said.

“I believe there were matches that left a major mark on us, such as Cape Verde, Egypt and England. They were games we played from the heart. I never felt that we were going to lose.”

Argentina’s run ended in the final, where Spain controlled much of the contest before Ferran Torres scored the only goal in extra time to secure a 1-0 victory.

Although Spain won the tournament, Tapia believes the England match had a deeper effect on the squad because of the expectations surrounding it and the significance it held for Argentine supporters.

His comments underline the contrast between the two matches. Argentina ultimately lost the final, but their victory over England demanded a dramatic recovery after Gordon’s opener and was sealed only in the closing moments.

The result against England therefore became one of the defining moments of Argentina’s campaign, even though it was followed by defeat in the final against Spain.

Tapia’s assessment also included Argentina’s earlier meeting with Egypt, which he listed alongside Cape Verde and England as games that had left a lasting impression on the team. He described those encounters as matches in which the players had been driven by emotion and commitment.

The comments offer an insight into the pressure surrounding Argentina during the 2026 World Cup, particularly as the team attempted to defend its status as world champions. For Tapia, the emotional demand of satisfying the fans made the semi-final feel more important than the final itself, despite Spain eventually lifting the trophy.