Lionel Messi has never faced England in a competitive international, and after Argentina’s 2-1 quarter-final victory over Switzerland on Thursday, the 39-year-old is now three days away from ending that anomaly. The reigning world champions booked their place in the World Cup semi-finals thanks to Julián Álvarez’s decisive strike, setting up a meeting with an England side that beat Norway earlier in the round. For a fixture steeped in decades of history between the two nations, one detail stands out: the greatest player of his generation has, remarkably, never shared a pitch with England.
“We should all be excited about it,” Messi said after the win in the mixed zone in Kansas City. “England against Argentina always means something. I have watched these games my whole life. Now I get to play in one.”
How Argentina reached the last four
Argentina’s path past Switzerland was far from comfortable. Granit Xhaka’s side defended in a deep block for long stretches and led at the interval through a Breel Embolo header, punishing a rare lapse from Cristian Romero. But the world champions responded after the break with the composure that has defined Lionel Scaloni’s tenure. Álvarez equalised from close range on 58 minutes, turning in a low cross after sustained pressure, before Rodrigo De Paul’s driven finish 15 minutes from time settled the tie.
Messi, deployed in a free role behind Álvarez, did not score but was central to both goals, drawing defenders and supplying the pass that led to the winner. It was a performance built on influence rather than statistics, a reminder that his value to this team now lies as much in orchestration as in end product. Scaloni has managed his captain’s minutes carefully throughout the tournament, and the reward is a Messi who looks fresh entering the final week.
The result extends Argentina’s remarkable run in knockout football since their 2022 triumph. They have now reached the semi-finals of a fourth consecutive major tournament, a consistency few sides in the modern era can match. For Messi, it is a chance to add to a legacy that already includes a World Cup, a Copa América and a Finalissima.
A rivalry Messi has somehow avoided
That Messi has reached this stage of his career without facing England borders on the improbable. Argentina and England have met at three previous World Cups, in 1966, 1986 and 1998, and again in a group stage in 2002, but never during Messi’s 20-year international career. The nations were kept apart at the 2010, 2014 and 2018 tournaments, and England’s failure to reach the 2022 final denied a meeting there too.
The wider rivalry needs little introduction. Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” and his subsequent solo goal in the 1986 quarter-final remain among the most replayed moments in the sport’s history. David Beckham’s red card in 1998 and England’s penalty shoot-out exit that night are seared into the memory of a generation of supporters. For Messi, so often measured against Maradona, the symbolism of finally facing England in a World Cup semi-final is impossible to ignore.
What it means going forward
England arrive in strong form, having edged Norway with a Jude Bellingham extra-time winner, and Thomas Tuchel’s side will believe they can trouble an Argentina defence that looked vulnerable against Switzerland’s directness. The tactical battle is likely to hinge on how England handle Messi’s movement between the lines, and whether Declan Rice and the midfield can deny him the pockets of space he exploited so effectively on Thursday.
For Argentina, the challenge is to avoid the sluggish starts that have crept into their recent knockout displays. Scaloni will demand a sharper opening than the one that allowed Switzerland to lead. Álvarez, now among the tournament’s leading scorers, offers a focal point that complements Messi’s creativity, and the pair’s understanding could prove decisive.
There is also the broader context. At 39, this is almost certainly Messi’s final World Cup, and each match now carries the weight of a farewell. A semi-final against England, a fixture he has watched since boyhood but never played, is a fitting stage for one of the tournament’s defining figures. Whatever the outcome, the meeting delivers a chapter that both nations, and Messi himself, have waited a long time to write.
Sports journalist and editor at SportsPortal.net. Covers cricket, football, Formula 1, tennis, and basketball with a focus on how global sports connect with Pakistani audiences. Follows the PSL, Pakistan national cricket team, Premier League, and major international tournaments. Has reported on sports for digital audiences since 2021.
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