Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia says Argentina’s 2-1 victory over England in the 2026 World Cup semi-final placed an enormous psychological burden on the players, with the emotional responsibility of satisfying their supporters making it more difficult than the final against Spain.
The president of the Argentine Football Association told Argentine sports network TyC Sports that beating England felt “like winning the World Cup”, such was the expectation surrounding the match.
“The emotional burden, and the responsibility the players carried so they would not let the Argentines down, was greater than what they had when playing against Spain,” Tapia said. “It was like winning the World Cup.”
Tapia said the reaction of Argentina’s supporters turned the semi-final into a match the team felt compelled to win, regardless of the circumstances on the pitch.
“The fans made them feel that this was the match that had to be won,” he added.
The match against England took place on 15 July at Atlanta in the United States, with Argentina coming from behind to secure a place in the final.
England moved ahead in the 55th minute through Anthony Gordon, leaving the defending champions facing the prospect of a shock defeat. Enzo Fernandez equalised in the 85th minute before Lautaro Martinez completed Argentina’s comeback by scoring in the second minute of added time.
Tapia also identified other matches that he believes had a lasting effect on the Argentina squad, including games against Cape Verde and Egypt.
“I think there are matches that have left a very strong mark on us, such as Cape Verde, Egypt and England,” he said. “They were matches we played with our hearts. I never felt that we were going to lose.”
Despite the emotional significance of the semi-final victory, Argentina were unable to retain the World Cup. Spain dominated large periods of the final before securing a 1-0 win in extra time.
Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal as Spain ended Argentina’s campaign and claimed the title. The defeat meant the joy of overcoming England was followed by disappointment in the tournament’s final match.
Tapia’s comments underline the contrast between the two games from Argentina’s perspective. While the final carried the ultimate prize, the semi-final against England was seen by the supporters as a defining contest, placing an exceptional level of pressure on the players to deliver.
Argentina eventually prevailed in Atlanta, but Spain’s control of the final and Torres’ extra-time goal ensured that the victory over England did not lead to the successful defence of the World Cup.
