Lautaro Martinez came off the bench to guide Argentina into the World Cup final with a thrilling stoppage time winner in the semi-final against England.
The Inter Milan striker headed the decisive goal as Argentina overturned a one-goal deficit with minutes ticking away.
The stunning late comeback means Argentina will get the chance to play to defend their world title when they face Spain in Sunday night’s final.
It also means Lionel Messi will get the chance to double his tally of World Cup winners’ medals and further cement his greatness.
Curiously, despite having played over 200 international games, Messi had never previously faced England.
The players would no doubt have been familiar with his work. Some will have had experienced playing against him in club football in Europe. And yet this was their shot at earning his recognition on the global stage. Their keenness showed, as all tried to shackle him.
Djed Spence made an early intervention. Elliot Anderson found himself in the great man’s path a variety of times in the first half.
Generally, the England midfielder got the better of the early exchanges with Messi, until he got the run on him and Anderson was shown a yellow card for felling him.
The policing of Messi was an ongoing subplot, beneath the wider theme: namely, that these two teams clearly loath each other.
At least, the fans do. The carnival atmosphere that has pervaded this tournament came to an abrupt halt when the national anthems were whistled and jeered by the rival supporters.
That set an edgy tone for a first half that was coloured by spite. The Argentines revelled in riling their old rivals, and England did their best to maintain their composure while imposing their own physicality on the game.
It was an arm wrestle, in which a football match was struggling to break out. It was the first World Cup match since records began in 1966 that there were no shots taken in the first 30 minutes of the game.
Maybe there was more to it than just the tension of the occasion: the previous record for longest wait for a shot – of 29 minutes - was in England’s quarter-final against Norway.
The first one that did arrive, 33 minutes in, was a forgettable effort by England’s centre back John Stones.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 55th minute. Coincidentally, it arrived just as Argentina were starting to press.
As play broke up, England attacked down the right flank. Morgan Rogers found himself with time to pick out a cross.
He did so perfectly as he found Anthony Gordon stealing in at the far post, to give England the advantage.
The roar that welcome the goal was nothing on what was to follow moments later. Argentina themselves found open ground behind England’s backline.
As Giuliano Simeone pulled back his leg ready to shoot, Spence arrived at searing pace to recover the danger and maintain England’s advantage.
The tension mounted onto England. As they awaited the respite of the second hydration break, Argentina had their best opportunity yet.
Messi made it, crossing from the right wing, and Nicolas Gonzalez guided a header low towards the England goal.
Jordan Pickford had to be at his best to keep it out, and push it away from danger in the process.
England got lucky shortly after, when Alexis Mac Allister headed a perfect cross from Rodrigo de Paul against the post when he should have scored. In the next phase of play, he headed too close to Pickford.
Thomas Tuchel’s response to the growing pressure was to send on more and more defensive reinforcements. All the manager’s intervention served to do was to invite on more and more Argentina attacks.
It meant that England were in peril when Enzo Fernandez, the Chelsea midfielder, fired in an equaliser from distance with five minutes of the regulation 90 left.
That was the opportunity the holders needed, and England proceeded to crack under the pressure, as Martinez sealed the win.
