England began the semi-final with a coordinated pressing tactic, using wingers to block Argentina's wide passing lanes and midfielders to mark their opponents man-to-man, with Elliot Anderson particularly effective at smothering Messi early on. However, Messi's reduced athleticism masked exceptional tactical awareness; he began dropping deeper to create confusion about defensive marking distances, then used sudden bursts of pace from a walking stride to exploit England's fatigue as the match progressed, effectively functioning as Argentina's on-field strategist.

After Anthony Gordon gave England a 1-0 lead in the 55th minute, England's control evaporated—they managed just 12% possession until Enzo Fernandez equalised in the 85th minute following a Messi assist. Lautaro Martinez sealed Argentina's victory with a stoppage-time header from another Messi cross, suggesting that Thomas Tuchel's tactical adjustments and England's physical decline proved decisive as Messi's intelligent repositioning neutralised their defensive structure.