Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni praised his side's resilience after they staged another dramatic comeback to defeat England 2-1 on Wednesday and book their place in the World Cup final.

Argentina recovered from a goal down in the semi-final in Atlanta, with Scaloni believing his players sensed an opportunity once England adopted a more defensive approach after taking the lead.

"I think that this team plays the best when we are facing adversity," Scaloni said. "We had a challenging game, a challenging situation.

"There was blood in the water, and we went for it. That's the feeling that I was getting.

Also read: Messi leads Golden Boot race: Playmaking masterclass puts Argentina captain ahead of Mbappe

"You just have to keep going. We hit the crossbar. We hit the post, and it just couldn't go in. There's six or seven chances, but I'm very pleased about that because the team fought to the very end, and I think this is critical."

It was the second time in the knockout stages that Argentina had overturned a deficit, having earlier produced a remarkable comeback against Egypt in the last 16. Scaloni had labelled that victory "epic" and, when asked how he would describe Wednesday's triumph, he replied with a smile:

"Epic, squared?"

Scaloni attributed the latest success to the unity and determination within his squad, highlighting the collective spirit that has defined Argentina's run to the final.

"This group is difficult to explain. It is a show of the collectiveness, the brotherhood that we are in, the the fight to the very end that we have," Scaloni said.

Also read: Ugly scenes in Atlanta: Jude Bellingham involved in post-match melee after England’s World Cup exit

Argentina will now face European champions Spain in Sunday's World Cup final in New Jersey, with Scaloni aiming to guide his team to a fourth consecutive major international title following Copa America triumphs on either side of their 2022 World Cup success.

The coach also praised his players' fearless mindset, insisting they never lost belief despite trailing.

"I know the guys. They fear nothing," he said. "They don't feel the weight on their shoulders.

"They're they're playing like they're seven or eight years old. They're not thinking about 'oh, what's going to happen if we miss or they're not thinking about the semifinal or final?'" (AFP)