Lautaro Martínez fires Argentina into World Cup final as Scaloni hails fearless squad

Argentina have booked their place in the World Cup final, with Lautaro Martínez scoring the goal that settled their meeting with England. Head coach Lionel Scaloni afterwards described his players as a group that has never been intimidated by the occasion.

Martínez was visibly overcome during his touchline interview after the match, breaking down in tears as he recalled his family's support. He spoke about the first pair of trainers his father bought him and about how his mother kept making his bed every day after he moved to a club boarding house in another city as a teenager. He said those gestures meant more to him than any goal or trophy.

What Scaloni said

Scaloni admitted England's goal briefly unsettled him but said he never lost faith in his side. He described the squad as fighters, at times wild and unruly, who play with a freedom reminiscent of eight- or nine-year-olds.

The head coach pointed to the players' backgrounds as the source of that composure, saying they grew up in environments where they were afraid of nothing and had always been the best at what they do. Expectations placed on them from a young age, he argued, do not weigh them down.

• Argentina have reached the World Cup final
• Lautaro Martínez scored the goal that decided the match against England
• Scaloni said he was worried after England's goal but never stopped believing
• The coach praised a squad that has carried heavy expectations since childhood
• Martínez's post-match interview focused on his family's support

Martínez's reaction underlined the emotional weight the tournament carries for a squad built around players who left home young to pursue professional careers. Scaloni has consistently framed that shared experience as a binding force rather than a burden.

Argentina now wait to learn who they will face in the final, where Scaloni's side will attempt to convert the freedom he describes into a title. The build-up is likely to focus as much on the group's character as on its tactical approach.