England vs Argentina: FIFA World Cup semifinal – Messi, Kane and prediction
England and Argentina renew their World Cup rivalry after 24 years, as Harry Kane and Lionel Messi clash in a seismic semifinal showdown. Who: England
England and Argentina renew their World Cup rivalry after 24 years, as Harry Kane and Lionel Messi clash in a seismic semifinal showdown. Who: England vs Argentina What: FIFA World Cup 2026 – semifinal 2 Where: Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, the United States When: Wednesday at 3pm (19:00 GMT) How to follow: We will have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 16:00 GMT before our live text commentary stream. Years of political history and football rivalry will collide in Atlanta when England face Argentina in a World Cup semifinal for the ages. From the controversial “Hand of God” goal by Diego Maradona in 1986 to David Beckham being red-carded for kicking Diego Simeone in 1998, sporting contests between England and Argentina are often theatrical, tense and tricky. Then, there is also the lingering sovereignty dispute over the Falkland Islands. Divided by geography and conflict, England and Argentina are vastly different in many ways, yet at this World Cup, they have at least one thing in common – both have made a habit of surviving on the edge. For England, the plan is simple: Find a way to stop the magical force of Lionel Messi and reach their first final in six decades. And for Argentina? To grind again and chase history in back-to-back finals. Here’s everything you need to know about this semifinal How did England and Argentina reach the semifinals? England topped Group L with seven points, beating Croatia and Panama and drawing with Ghana. They needed a second-half comeback to beat the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the round of 32 and knocked out cohosts Mexico 3-2 in a scintillating last-16 contest at the iconic Azteca Stadium. In the quarterfinals, they came from a goal down to beat Norway 2-1 in extra time. Argentina had a strong showing in the first round, topping Group J by beating Algeria, Austria and Jordan.
In the round of 32, they were pushed to their limits before squeezing past Cape Verde 3-2 in extra time, and came from two goals down to beat Egypt 3-2 in a controversial last-16 contest which drew allegations of officiating bias. Against Switzerland in the quarterfinals, they again played a full 120 minutes before securing a 3-1 win. At last, Messi meets England From winning the World Cup to Copa America, lifting the Champions League trophy to the Ballon d’Or, and kissing the Golden Ball, Messi has achieved almost everything possible in football. But in his 21 years playing for Argentina, there is one thing he has not done: face England. The 39-year-old forward will play against the Three Lions for the first time, 21 years on from the red card he received in the early days of his career, which denied him the chance in a 2005 friendly. “I have played against everyone except England, and it is special because they are a major nation, a powerhouse, and it is always nice to play against a side like that, especially in a World Cup semifinal,” Messi said. With eight goals in six matches, Messi is enjoying a World Cup campaign like no other as he bids for his first Golden Boot. As the captain, he is also leading Argentina’s charge to become the first team to retain the World Cup since Brazil in 1962. Should they beat England, Argentina would be in their third final in four World Cups, and Messi could follow in the footsteps of Brazil’s great, Cafu, who played in three in a row from 1994 to 2002 – even Maradona only ever played in two. “Getting to another semifinal is not a normal, mundane thing, so this is something we should really enjoy because we don’t know if it will happen again,” Messi said.
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