Bandwagon Semifinal · Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
England
ArgentinaWednesday, July 15, 3:00 PM EDT · 📺 FOX
The most storied grudge match in World Cup history is back for the first time in 24 years: the Hand of God, the Goal of the Century, Beckham's red card — England vs. Argentina has all of it. And somehow, after two decades at the top, Lionel Messi has never once played England. His first time comes at 39, in a World Cup semifinal, in what's almost certainly his last tournament.
The winner plays France or Spain in the final at MetLife Stadium on July 19. England are one game from their first World Cup final since 1966 — sixty years of hurt, two lost Euro finals, and now their fourth semifinal ever. Argentina are the defending champions chasing back-to-back titles, something nobody has done since Brazil in 1962. One of the sport's two biggest fanbases leaves Atlanta in tears.
Root for England if you want the redemption arc: sixty years of near-misses, a young team that keeps finding a way, and a nation that will absolutely lose its mind. Root for Argentina if you want to watch the greatest player ever try to go back-to-back at 39 in his final World Cup. The neutral's play is Messi — decades from now, 'I watched his last World Cup run' is the better story. Just don't say that in an English pub.
01Sound smart about this
- The history here is genuinely absurd. This is their sixth World Cup meeting and the first since 2002. In 1986, Diego Maradona scored the two most famous goals in World Cup history in the same game against England — the Hand of God punch the ref missed, then the Goal of the Century four minutes later. In 1998, David Beckham was sent off for flicking a boot at Diego Simeone and England lost on penalties; in 2002 Beckham got his revenge from the spot. Forty years after Maradona, here we go again.
- Jude Bellingham is doing Maradona things — literally. Braces against Mexico and Norway make him the first player with multiple two-goal games in consecutive World Cup knockout matches at the same tournament since Maradona in 1986. Against Norway he dragged England back from 1-0 down in the Miami heat and won it in extra time. Now the man he keeps getting compared to is the ghost on the other team's shirt.
- The Golden Boot race is a Messi–Mbappé rematch. Both sit on 8 goals; Mbappé leads on assists (3 to 2), so Messi likely needs to outscore him across the semis to win the one World Cup prize he's never taken. Messi's 21 career World Cup goals are already the most in history — every one he adds extends a record only Mbappé (20) can chase. Harry Kane lurks two back on 6.
- Both teams survived extra-time chaos to get here. England's win had 'TV cable-gate' — Norway keeper Ørjan Nyland's goal kick appeared to strike a dangling TV camera cable — plus a Haaland shove that VAR un-called from a dive. Argentina's had the tournament's weirdest red card: the referee booked Leandro Paredes for a foul, VAR determined Breel Embolo had actually dived, switched the card to him for simulation, and Embolo was later sent off anyway for a second yellow — on a foul against Paredes. If this one goes to penalties: Emiliano 'Dibu' Martínez has never lost a shootout for Argentina, and England lost to Argentina on penalties in 1998. Sleep well, England fans.
- The treatment room leans Argentina's way. England's week: Declan Rice fought a sickness bug and was pulled at halftime against Norway, Jarell Quansah is still suspended, Reece James is unlikely to be risked — so Ezri Konsa or Djed Spence has to hold the right flank, exactly where Messi operates — and Jordan Henderson is a doubt after breaking his arm celebrating the Mexico win. Argentina's only scare was Messi needing treatment on an eye against Switzerland; he's expected to be fit. Thomas Tuchel, meanwhile, is one win from a shot at becoming the first foreign manager ever to win a country the World Cup.
02Players to actually watchtap a line to copy
The player of the knockout rounds so far — back-to-back braces against Mexico and Norway, a stat streak last matched by Maradona in 1986, and the winner in extra time in the Miami heat. He plays like the moment belongs to him, and at 23 he's the face of England's next decade either way.
Say this“Bellingham's the first guy with braces in back-to-back World Cup knockout games since Maradona — against Argentina, of all teams.”
England's captain, all-time World Cup leading scorer, and quietly on 6 goals — two behind Messi and Mbappé with an outside shot at the Golden Boot. At 32 this is realistically his last chance at the final that's eluded his whole golden generation. Ice-cold from the penalty spot, which may matter enormously.
Say this“Kane's two goals off the Golden Boot lead and nobody's even talking about him.”
Eight goals this tournament, 21 World Cup goals all-time — the most ever — and at 39 he's never faced England in his entire career. He's not sprinting past people anymore; he walks, watches, and then produces the one pass or finish nobody else on Earth sees. He took a knock to the eye against Switzerland but is expected to be fit — and he has scored or assisted 10 of Argentina's 17 goals this tournament.
Say this“Messi has scored or assisted 10 of Argentina's 17 goals — at 39, he IS the attack.”
'Dibu' has never lost a penalty shootout for Argentina — he won the 2022 final on penalties — and he's part shot-stopper, part psychological warfare. Both semifinalists needed extra time in the quarters, England's shootout history is infamous, and they lost to Argentina on penalties in 1998. If this reaches spot kicks, he's the scariest man in the stadium.
Say this“If it goes to penalties, Argentina's keeper has never lost a shootout for his country — and England, well… you know.”
03Ask thistap to copy
Messi has been the best player in the world for 20 years and has never once played England — how is that even possible?
The Hand of God was 40 years ago this summer — do Argentina fans celebrate that goal or are they a little embarrassed by it?
Bellingham keeps matching Maradona's records — is he actually the best midfielder in the world right now, or is it still too early?
If it goes to penalties, what's scarier: England's shootout history or Dibu Martínez staring you down from the goal line?
Why is England vs. Argentina such a huge rivalry anyway? They're 7,000 miles apart.
04Opinions you can safely have
- Both quarterfinals went to extra time — nobody should be remotely surprised if this one ends in penalties.
- England have the younger, deeper squad; Argentina have Messi and the champions' scar tissue. It's genuinely close to a coin flip.
- Whatever happens, Messi vs. England in a World Cup semifinal — 40 years after the Hand of God — is the box-office game of the tournament.
05Jargon of the match
The official word for diving — exaggerating or inventing contact to con the referee into giving a foul or a card. It's a bookable offense, and VAR now catches it: Switzerland's Breel Embolo was booked for simulation in the quarterfinal after the ref had initially carded the wrong player, and it ultimately got him sent off. In a rivalry that includes the Hand of God and the Simeone tumble that got Beckham sent off, expect the word to come up.
06The call
Everything about this says extra time again: 1-1 after 90, Bellingham and Messi trading moments, and penalties looming like a horror movie for England. Argentina 2-1 in extra time — Messi conjures one thing the brave new England can't answer. But if it does reach a shootout and England somehow win it against Dibu Martínez, it might heal every wound since 1966 at once.
Facts checked: 2026-07-14. Lineups drop ~1 hour before kickoff.