Argentina pulled off one of the most insane comebacks in World Cup history, shocking England to set up a final showdown with Spain this Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on FOX. Oddsmaker Mark Bickerdike and his team at Caesars Sports were absolutely stunned, ready to release odds for a Spain vs. England final. But Messi & Co. had other plans, once again pulling a rabbit out of the hat on Wednesday and flipping the script completely.
How Messi & Co. Broke England’s Heart
Wednesday’s semifinal against England was a nail-biter, to say the least. England had a 1-0 lead, and they held onto it for a grueling 84 minutes. Harry Kane & Co. were basically celebrating, ready to make their first World Cup final since 1966. But if you’ve been watching this Argentina squad, you know they don’t quit. They piled on the pressure relentlessly, and it finally broke through in the 85th minute when Enzo Fernández slammed one home to tie it up, thanks to a brilliant assist from Messi.
Everyone thought it was going to overtime, right? Wrong. Messi, being Messi, whipped in a brilliant cross in the second minute of second-half injury time. Lautaro Martínez was there to head it in, giving Argentina a shocking 2-1 victory. Talk about late-match heroics! Bickerdike himself admitted, “I think it’s fair to say that Argentina definitely rode the luck wave. They’ve done it the hard way. It all sets up for Messi to go out with a real bang.”
All Eyes on Messi for an Impossible Ending
Now, Argentina faces Spain, and they’re the underdog for the second straight match. Caesars opened the three-way moneyline for 90 minutes plus injury time at Spain +125, Argentina +230, and a Draw at +220. By Friday, those numbers had shifted slightly to Spain +123, Argentina +250, and a Draw at +198. For the “To Lift The Trophy” market, which covers all methods of victory, Caesars initially had Spain at -170 and Argentina at +135, later moving to Spain -154 and Argentina +125.
Why the shift? It’s all about the story. This is likely Messi’s last World Cup, and the late-game drama is absolutely fueling the public. People believe Argentina is destined for a second straight title, and that “fairytale finish for Messi” is driving a lot of the betting action, according to Bickerdike. On the three-way moneyline, Argentina is raking in 59% of bets and 60% of the money, compared to Spain’s 33% of bets and 34% of money. The Draw is left with just 8% of bets and 6% of money. Even for “To Lift The Trophy,” it’s 65% of tickets on Argentina versus 35% on Spain, though the money is a bit closer at 54% Argentina and 46% Spain. The sportsbooks, of course, are hoping for a draw after 90 minutes to scoop up all that three-way cash.
Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on FOX is gonna be absolutely wild as Spain takes on Argentina. Can Messi really pull off one last miracle and grab a second straight title in what’s shaping up to be the ultimate fairytale? You won’t wanna miss a second of it.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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