Defending champions Argentina faced England on Wednesday in the second semi-final of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, reigniting one of soccer’s fiercest rivalries.
From Diego Maradona’s controversial ‘Hand of God’ goal in 1986 to David Beckham’s red card for kicking Diego Simeone in 1998, World Cup matches between England and Argentina have never been without drama.
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On Wednesday, a new chapter in their storied history begins as both teams meet again on the biggest stage in sports for the first time in 24 years.
It will be the first time Argentina legend Lionel Messi will play against England, which also boasts heroes Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham.
The winner of this semi-final will advance to Sunday’s final, where they will face either France or Spain for a chance to be crowned world champions again.
What are your predictions for Argentina vs England?
As of Monday, Opta’s supercomputer gave England a 38.9 per cent chance of winning in regulation time and a 34.1 per cent chance for Argentina.
The model estimates a 27% chance of a game going into overtime.
Where will the England vs Argentina semi-final be held?
England will face Argentina at Atlanta Stadium, commonly known as Mercedes-Benz Stadium, in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. It will be the last of seven World Cup matches to be held at the 68,239-capacity venue.
Boasting a retractable roof and a 360-degree halo video display, the stadium is arguably the most space-age architecture of the 16 host cities.
Argentina vs England: head-to-head
Overall, they have played against each other 14 times in official matches and friendlies.
In terms of head-to-head results, England leads with six wins, while Argentina have three wins. Five matches ended in draws.
Argentina vs England: Last 5 matches
England 3-2 Argentina (International Friendly, 2005) England 1-0 Argentina (2002 World Cup, Group Stage) England 0-0 Argentina (International Friendly, 2000) Argentina 2-2 England (PK 4-3, 1998 World Cup, Round of 16) England 2-2 Argentina (Challenge Cup, 1991)
Have Argentina and England ever played in a World Cup?
yes. England and Argentina have met five times in the FIFA World Cup.
England have won it three times and Argentina twice.
At the previous World Cup in 2002, England won the group game 1-0 with David Beckham scoring a penalty in the first half.
Full breakdown:
England 1-0 Argentina – 2002 Argentina 2-2 England (PK 4-3) – 1998 Argentina 2-1 England – 1986 England 1-0 Argentina – 1966 England 3-1 Argentina – 1962
Argentina and England: trophies, medals
Argentina has won the World Cup three times (1978, 1986, 2022) and has won 16 times in South America.
England have only won one major trophy: the 1966 World Cup. Although he has never won the Euros, he has been a finalist twice.
Who are Argentina’s key players?
Messi, a Golden Boot candidate with eight goals, is arguably Argentina’s best player in the competition. The 39-year-old scored in every match until the Round of 16, extending his record for most World Cup goals to 21.
Apart from him, Lautaro Martínez scored twice, while Lisandro Martínez and Enzo Fernandes were also key players.
Who are England’s key players?
Striker Kane and attacking midfielder Bellingham have contributed equally to England’s success so far, scoring six goals each. Kane scored most of the goals in the group matches, but Bellingham stepped up in the knockout phase.
Anthony Gordon and Bukayo Saka, who each provided three assists, are also integral to England’s attack, while Elliott Anderson and Mark Guehi are also having an impact.
Argentina: advantages and disadvantages
Argentina’s strength lies in Messi, a 1.70-meter tall maestro who can create moments of magic, especially when least expected. The aging forward, who is 39 years old and playing in his sixth World Cup, has proven to be Argentina’s best attacking weapon.
The reigning champions made it through the group stage with a perfect record, but an unconvincing performance in the knockouts has cast doubt on their ability to defend their title.
Argentina was forced into overtime by weak Cape Verde in the round of 32, had to come back from a two-goal deficit to beat Egypt in the next game, and played 120 minutes again against Switzerland in the quarterfinals.
Despite being the clear favorites in all three games, Argentina were outplayed for the most part until their attacking power came to their rescue in the dying moments. That begs the question. How long can they pull this off?
England: advantages and disadvantages
Like Argentina, England’s strength also lies in their attack, particularly the duo of Kane and Bellingham.
The 32-year-old veteran Kane and his 23-year-old fellow attacker Bellingham were game-changers, sharing 12 of the team’s 13 goals in the competition.
However, England at times looked disorganized and appeared to have cracks at the back.
Their quarter-final victory over Norway lacked the heroism of their round-of-16 victory over Mexico, but manager Thomas Tuchel criticized their game as “sloppy”, “not fast enough” and full of “technical mistakes”.
