Argentina on the way to Football World Cup final after 2-1 win against England
Thursday, 16 July 2026
As English hearts broke in a familiar, 60-year pattern, things were decidedly different at one of Argentina’s furthest outposts, in Brooklyn, Wellington.
The hottest place to be for about 20 frantic minutes in Wellington on Thursday morning was undoubtedly the Chimichurri Argentinian restaurant in Brooklyn in the hills of the capital.
In those crazy moments in Atlanta, Georgia; Argentina went from a goal down to England, to an even score, then ‒ in overtime ‒ a 2-1 lead and victory for a spot in the Fifa World Cup Final against Spain.
The cramped Chimichurri ‒ rated for 59 people and doubtlessly close to that ‒ erupted into dance and cheers. They spilled on to the streets after the final whistle blew. They danced out the car doors.
Rubbish trucks honked their loud horns on their way to the real rubbish dump. The metaphorical rubbish dump is where the English fans may as well have been as their 60-year World Cup losing streak is now set to be 64 years or more.
At the Old Bailey in downtown Wellington, there was stunned after Argentina’s equaliser, but one jubilant South American kept to her feet. A light-hearted moment drew a chuckle though, when the broadcast flashed up the image of a bereft Mick Jagger watching at the stadium. At full time, on the back of Argentina’s late late winner, the fans were muted again and made a hasty retreat for the exit.
Lautoro Herrera, who owns the Chimichurri, over the dancing and chanting crowds outside said the Argentinian team “never stopped”.
“All the team, the team is the real winner,” he said.
“They never lost their mind, very organised.”
For added authenticity, the commentary on the big screen was in Spanish. Herrera made sure to beam it in from his home country.
“In our language, our passion, it is completely different,” he said.
And the occasional cutting out of transmission ‒ sometimes in crucial moments ‒ did nothing to dent the crowd’s enthusiasm.
It will be lit again Monday.
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