(L-R) England\u2019s forward #19 Ollie Watkins, midfielder #17 Morgan Rogers, midfielder #10 Jude Bellingham,forward #09 Harry Kane, defender #15 Dan Burn, goalkeeper #13 Dean Henderson, goalkeeper #01 Jordan Pickford, forward #18 Anthony Gordon and forward #11 Marcus Rashford rejoice after winning the 2026 World Cup football tournament quarter-final match between Norway and England at Miami Stadium in Miami Gardens on July 11, 2026. (Photo by PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA \/ AFP)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
England is bidding to finish Lionel Messi\u2019s dream of winning back-to-back World Cups and reach its first final in six many years because it renews their old rivalry with holders Argentina on Wednesday in a seismic semifinal showdown.<\/p>\n
An England team which has been dragged to this stage by the brilliance of Jude Bellingham takes on Messi\u2019s Argentina under the roof of the spectacular arena in Atlanta, already the scene of a memorable victory by the defending champions at this tournament.<\/p>\n
It’s the primary competitive meeting of the perimeters for the reason that 2002 World Cup and the fixture conjures so many memories, from Diego Maradona and the \u2018Hand of God\u2019 in 1986, to David Beckham\u2019s red card after tangling with Diego Simeone in 1998, while also thrusting the lingering sovereignty dispute over the Falkland Islands back into the highlight.<\/p>\n
READ: \u2018VAR-gentina?\u2019: Conspiracy theories swirl ahead of World Cup semis<\/h4>\n
\u201cThe message is this can be a football game. That\u2019s what I can say,\u201d said Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni after his team\u2019s 3-1 quarter-final win over Switzerland.<\/p>\n
There may be good enough to deal with in purely footballing terms, with England one win from a primary appearance within the World Cup final since they lifted the trophy in 1966.<\/p>\n
Argentina, meanwhile, wish to reach a 3rd final in 4 World Cups, and in doing so remain heading in the right direction to develop into the primary nation to retain the trophy since Brazil in 1962.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis squad doesn’t get drained of creating history. They keep wanting more,\u201d said Messi after the Switzerland game.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt just isn’t easy to have been world champions, to have won all that we’ve got won, and to once more keep competing at this level and be back within the semifinals.\u201d<\/p>\n
READ: World Cup gets set for blockbuster semifinals<\/h4>\n
Remarkably, the semifinal can be the primary time Messi has ever played against England.<\/p>\n
Epic feel<\/h2>\n
Neither team has enjoyed a smooth passage to this stage.<\/p>\n
Argentina cruised through the group phase, however the knockout rounds have been frenetic for the team coached by Scaloni, the one-time West Ham United full-back.<\/p>\n
Twice they were pegged back before beating Cape Verde 3-2 in time beyond regulation. Then they needed a late comeback to beat Egypt 3-2 in Atlanta, before requiring time beyond regulation to sink 10-man Switzerland 3-1 on Saturday.<\/p>\n
That game ended Messi\u2019s streak of scoring in nine consecutive World Cup outings, but prolonged the Albiceleste\u2019s unbeaten run on the finals to 12 matches since losing to Saudi Arabia in 2022.<\/p>\n
England began with an exhilarating 4-2 win over Croatia but have struggled to hit the identical heights since, even when their run within the knockout rounds has had an epic feel to it.<\/p>\n
READ: World Cup: Jude Bellingham lifts England past Haaland, Norway<\/h4>\n
They needed a late comeback, and two Harry Kane goals, to beat DR Congo 2-1, then held on with 10 men to defeat Mexico 3-2 within the Estadio Azteca in a World Cup classic wherein Bellingham notched a brace.<\/p>\n
The Real Madrid star also scored twice, including an extra-time winner, as England fought back to beat Norway 2-1 in Miami on the weekend.<\/p>\n
And so here they’re, in a fourth semi-final within the last five major tournaments.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll of us know the way good Messi is but we also know the way good Argentina are. We will\u2019t solely depend on (stopping) Messi,\u201d England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford said Monday.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got to deal with their other strengths and the weaknesses we will reap the benefits of.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ageing lineup<\/h2>\n![\"World](\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\")
![\"World](\"https:\/\/sports.inquirer.net\/files\/2026\/07\/AFP__20260712__B9XQ88G__v1__HighRes__FblWc2026Match100ArgSui-1200x800.jpg\")
<\/p>\nArgentina\u2019s forward #10 Lionel Messi celebrates after winning the 2026 World Cup football tournament quarter-final match between Argentina and Switzerland on the Kansas City Stadium in Kansas City on July 11, 2026. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU \/ AFP)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Argentina is an ageing side, and maybe their exertions to achieve this point will meet up with them\u2013the typical age of its starting line-up against Switzerland was over 30, while England\u2019s against Norway was 26.6.<\/p>\n
England has a doubt over Declan Rice, who has been fighting illness, because it prepares to face Messi ultimately, right at the top of his glorious profession.<\/p>\n
\u201cI even have played against everyone except England and it’s special because they’re a serious nation, a powerhouse, and it’s all the time nice to play against a side like that, especially in a World Cup semi-final,\u201d said 39-year-old Messi.<\/p>\n
The last meeting of the teams was a 3-2 friendly win for England in November 2005, when Michael Owen scored twice.<\/p>\n
Messi was 18 on the time and had made his international debut three months earlier, but he didn’t play in that game.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
(L-R) England\u2019s forward #19 Ollie Watkins, midfielder #17 Morgan Rogers, midfielder #10 Jude Bellingham,forward #09 Harry Kane, defender #15 Dan Burn, goalkeeper #13 Dean Henderson, goalkeeper #01 Jordan Pickford, forward #18 Anthony Gordon and forward #11 Marcus Rashford rejoice after winning the 2026 World Cup football tournament quarter-final match between Norway and England at Miami […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":366025,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[338],"tags":[14852,1060,5386,3619,19055,4265,813],"class_list":["post-366024","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports","tag-argentina","tag-cup","tag-england","tag-faces","tag-messis","tag-semifinals","tag-world"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t
<\/p>\nArgentina\u2019s forward #10 Lionel Messi celebrates after winning the 2026 World Cup football tournament quarter-final match between Argentina and Switzerland on the Kansas City Stadium in Kansas City on July 11, 2026. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU \/ AFP)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Argentina is an ageing side, and maybe their exertions to achieve this point will meet up with them\u2013the typical age of its starting line-up against Switzerland was over 30, while England\u2019s against Norway was 26.6.<\/p>\n
England has a doubt over Declan Rice, who has been fighting illness, because it prepares to face Messi ultimately, right at the top of his glorious profession.<\/p>\n
\u201cI even have played against everyone except England and it’s special because they’re a serious nation, a powerhouse, and it’s all the time nice to play against a side like that, especially in a World Cup semi-final,\u201d said 39-year-old Messi.<\/p>\n
The last meeting of the teams was a 3-2 friendly win for England in November 2005, when Michael Owen scored twice.<\/p>\n
Messi was 18 on the time and had made his international debut three months earlier, but he didn’t play in that game.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
(L-R) England\u2019s forward #19 Ollie Watkins, midfielder #17 Morgan Rogers, midfielder #10 Jude Bellingham,forward #09 Harry Kane, defender #15 Dan Burn, goalkeeper #13 Dean Henderson, goalkeeper #01 Jordan Pickford, forward #18 Anthony Gordon and forward #11 Marcus Rashford rejoice after winning the 2026 World Cup football tournament quarter-final match between Norway and England at Miami […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":366025,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[338],"tags":[14852,1060,5386,3619,19055,4265,813],"class_list":["post-366024","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports","tag-argentina","tag-cup","tag-england","tag-faces","tag-messis","tag-semifinals","tag-world"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t