00:00We now go with our special segment on the occasion of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Beyond the Game,
00:05the World's Test Spear. Go ahead, Liz. It's a pleasure to share the set with you today. Welcome.
00:10Good morning, Dole. Good morning to our audience. Today we have our second semifinal, a match that
00:15promises to be quite something to enjoy and watch. It's going to happen later in the afternoon,
00:203 p.m. Caracas signed England versus Argentina. This follows the first semifinal yesterday between
00:24France and Spain in which the Spaniards achieved a commanding victory, securing their place in the
00:30finals after the 2010. Since 2010, they have not reached this stage of the World Cup. We'll have
00:34more information after the break.
00:58Welcome to Beyond the Game. The ball stays pure. The road to the 2016 FIFA World Cup final is almost
01:03complete. Spain became the first finalist after a convincing victory of France and now awaits the
01:08winner of Wednesday's semifinal between England and Argentina. The three liners are chasing their
01:14first World Cup final since 1966, while Argentina looks to keep its title defense alive. The winner
01:19will face Spain on Sunday with the loser meeting France in the third place playoff. England has
01:24relied so far on the leadership and goals of Harry Kane and the outstanding form of Jude
01:29Bellingham, who have been responsible for the majority of the three lions scoring during
01:33the tournament. Argentina, meanwhile, continues to be inspired by Lionel Messi, while Enzo
01:37Fernandes and Cody Romero have provided crucial support.
01:47England's and Argentina's journey to the last four has been built on resilience, overcoming one
01:51tough test after another to keep their World Cup dream alive.
01:57England's campaign began without authority as the three lions stopped Group L through a blend
02:01of attacking flair and timely resilience. Victories over Panama and Croatia were followed by a dramatic
02:06encounter with Ghana, allowing Thomas Tockel's side to finish first in the group. Jude Bellingham,
02:11Harry Kane and a balanced midfield have given England multiple ways to win, carrying strong momentum
02:17into the elimination rounds. Unlike some of the other semi-finalists, England has had to earn every
02:24step of the journey. There's a vibe that determined DR Congo in the round of 32, before producing an
02:29impressive comeback to eliminate Mexico 3-2 in the round of 16. The quarter-final against Norway was
02:35another stern determination, but England once again found the decisive moments in a 2-1 victory, returning
02:41to the World Cup semi-finals with confidence growing after every challenge overcome.
02:46The defending champions Argentina navigated Group J with experience and attacking quality, finishing
02:52atop the standings after victories over Jordan and Austria before sealing first place against
02:57Algeria. Lionel Messi once again set the tone, while Lionel Scaloni's squad showed the composure
03:03and efficiency expected from the reigning world champions as they advanced to the knockout stage
03:08unbeaten. Argentina's route to the last four has been anything but straightforward. A thrilling
03:143-2-1 victory over Cape Verde in the round of 32 was followed by another dramatic 3-2 win
03:19against Egypt in the round of 16. The quarter-final brought perhaps their toughest challenge yet,
03:25but the LB Celeste defeated Switzerland 3-1 to secure a return to the semi-finals. Tested repeatedly
03:31under pressure, Argentina has relied on championship experience and the enduring brilliance of Messi
03:36to keep its title defense alive. And Argentina supporters filled the streets of Atlanta during
03:43the flag-waving event ahead of the World Cup semi-final match against England. Some 10,000 Scaloneta
03:48fans sang and went wild for Argentina's sky blue and white colors ahead of the heavily-awaited fixture
03:55many have described as a final before the final. Unlike the one held the day before, the nail-biting
04:01round of 16 match against Egypt Tuesday's gathering did not take place in Piedmont Park but rather
04:07at Underground as Chopin, an entertainment district located just a few blocks from the
04:11stadium where the match will be played this Wednesday at 3 p.m. Karaka's time. During the celebration,
04:16there was a minute of silence for France and the traditional chant, anyone who doesn't jump is
04:20English. The upcoming match renews one of international football's most storied rivalries with the winner
04:26moving one step closer to World Cup immortality.
04:33It's not just a match, it's a final. Yes, it's the final for us. It's Argentina versus England. It's
04:40the final, the big match. The Malvinas are Argentinian. We've got faith, we've got faith. I can't predict the
04:46result, but we're confident we'll win. I think it's going to be a really exciting, really beautiful
04:52match. They're two great teams. And, well, the hope is that Argentina always plays with an advantage,
04:58which is the number 10. So that could be the deciding factor. We've chosen to believe just as the
05:06players told us, just as the coach told us. So, one step at a time, let's focus on tomorrow's match.
05:11Hopefully we'll win. And then we'll face Spain. And Tuesday's semifinals saw a complete performance
05:18from Spain, shutting down the French attack, which had been, up until that moment, among the best,
05:24ending the Blues title hopes with a complete team performance. The Iberians defeated France 2-0 in a
05:28composed and commanding semi-final match. After an evenly contested opening, Lamin Jamal drew the foul
05:33that led to a penalty in the 20th minute, and Miqueloy Arzaval calmly converted from the spot,
05:38two minutes later to give La Roja the lead. Spain took control from there, dominating possession
05:42and frustrating a French side that struggled to create clear chances. Pedro Porro sealed the victory
05:48in the 58th minute, with a clinical finish following a slip combination with Dani Olmo.
05:52France never found a way back, as Spain's disciplined defence and patient build-up secured
05:57deserved place in the final. And the superior player of the match went to Pedro Porro, who delivered the
06:11performance of his international career. The right back was outstanding at both ends of the pitch,
06:16shutting down France's attack before putting the game beyond doubt with a composed finish after a
06:21brilliant one-two with Dani Olmo early in the second half. Porro's relentless work rate, defensive
06:26solidity and decisive goal-capped a complete performance on football's biggest stage.
06:36And Spanish fans celebrated outside Dallas Stadium after La Roja won against France.
06:43It's been brilliant. I didn't expect to be here. I think Spain not only lived up to expectations,
06:49but actually exceeded everyone's expectations. And I reckon Argentina will be next. Let's go to the final.
06:58Well, I think the best team really did win this time. And I reckon Spain's defence only conceded one goal
07:04in the whole World Cup. So, I don't know. I think it was an exciting match right, right to the
07:09end.
07:13Meanwhile, French fans expressed their disappointment at Le Blu's performance.
07:19After that, the consolation prize, if I may say so, would be to play in the third place playoff against
07:25Argentina and thrash them. That might console us a little. Disappointed, disappointed. But, well,
07:32that's the way it is. You can't win every day. I'm particularly disappointed because I feel that,
07:39right from the start of the match, we were just a bit below par in every aspect of the game.
07:44There aren't really any regrets about the match. Unfortunately, we deserve to lose.
07:51This is all for this edition of Beyond the Game. The Bozo is pure. In yesterday's semi-final, there
07:55were only one team on the pitch playing good football. Let's hope that today we have two teams,
08:00and it's a great spectacle for the world to watch and experience. We now go back to you, Lore.
08:06Thank you so much, Lacey, for always keeping us posted on all the updates related to the world
08:12of football. And with this special segment, we have come to the end of this year's brief. Remember,
08:17you can find this and many other stories on our website at www.telesuryenglish.net.
08:21And join us on social media. We are on Facebook, X, Instagram, Telegram, and TikTok.
08:25For Telesuryenglish, I am Lorena Fong. Thank you for watching.
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