For the fourth consecutive match, the Argentina national team were pushed to the limit before finding a way to emerge as a winner at the business end of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
After edging past tournament debutants Cape Verde in the Round of 32, Egypt in the Round of 16 and Switzerland in the quarter-finals, the reigning champions once again displayed their resilience and quality by defeating England in the FIFA World Cup semi-final on Wednesday.
After the win, Argentina's head coach Lionel Scaloni called his players as "Indios".
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For context, "Indios" is the Spanish word for "Indians or the indigenous peoples of the Americas". It refers to the Indigenous peoples of the Americas and should not be confused with the citizens of India.
"Yo conozco como son: son indios, pero en el buen sentido de la palabra (I know what they're like, they're Indians, but in the good sense of the word)," Lionel Scaloni was quoted as saying by larazon.es.
"I know what they're like: they're fierce, but in the best sense of the word. They grew up in environments where they weren't afraid of anything, where they were the best everywhere, they competed from a young age and everyone expected a lot from them. Responsibility doesn't weigh them down," the coach explained.
The term "Indios" can carry negative historical connotations, as it was used by the European colonisers to refer to the Indigenous peoples of the Americas.
Scaloni later acknowledged the context surrounding the word and admitted that he may have made an error in using it.
Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez scored late in the game; both were assisted by Lionel Messi, as Argentina made a dramatic comeback to beat England in Atlanta.
The turnaround came just when England appeared to be on course for their first World Cup final in 60 years after Anthony Gordon's goal had put them ahead in the 55th minute.
This victory marked yet another remarkable comeback for La Albiceleste, following their Round of 16 fightback against Egypt, and booked their place in a seventh FIFA World Cup final.
Lionel Messi's Argentina now stand only one win away from successfully defending their world title.
"I'm speechless, speechless. What a joy for our country, for our people," Scaloni said after the final whistle. "The other day I said that this squad never ceases to amaze me. And after this, it's very difficult to get people to understand what these players are capable of. It's incredible."
"We're unique, really, and that's not arrogance - it comes from the heart. We're unique. These fans helped us win the match today, so I'm grateful."
Later, at the press conference, the coach spoke specifically about how the match unfolded: "To be honest, the team plays best when it's under pressure. And when we're under pressure and the opposition hesitates just a little, that's when we smell blood and go all the way. You feel as though there's a vacuum cleaner in the goal pulling you towards it."
"From the moment they scored, it was a display that sums up everything we want from football. Football isn't just about tactics, strategy and playing beautifully. Football is everything that was encapsulated in those 40 minutes. And when we made it 2-1, we had to dig in, and we did that right until the end too." he added.
"It's a demonstration of everything we're taught about what football is when we're little." Scaloni concluded.
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If the South American giants defeat Spain in the FIFA World Cup final on Sunday, July 19, Argentina will become only the third nation to successfully defend the FIFA World Cup title.
Only Italy and Brazil have previously achieved the feat. Italy won back-to-back World Cups in 1934 and 1938, while Brazil retained the trophy by lifting consecutive titles in 1958 and 1962.
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