Key Takeaways
- Lionel Messi will face England for the first time in his career in the World Cup semi-final.
- Messi has never played against England, despite having played against every other major nation.
- Argentina seeks to become the first team to retain the World Cup trophy since Brazil in 1962.
- Messi has scored more World Cup goals than any other player, with 21 goals from 32 appearances.
Lionel Messi has achieved everything possible in his illustrious career, but the 39-year-old Argentinian great has never faced England — a feat he will finally accomplish in Wednesday's World Cup semi-final.
Messi, who won his 200th cap for the Albiceleste in the group-stage victory against Algeria, dreams of leading his country to the final once again, just as he did in Qatar four years ago. The diminutive playmaker is surely in the final days of a remarkable international career, which began when he was a fresh-faced 18-year-old in 2005.
Messi's Argentina career began with a memorable debut against Hungary in Budapest, where he was handed his first cap by Jose Pekerman and sent off just 90 seconds later for what the referee saw as an elbow. This incident led to him being suspended for a friendly against England in Geneva three months later, a match he will finally get to play in the semi-finals.
Messi will play against the Three Lions for the very first time under the roof of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. He expressed his excitement, stating that playing against England is special because they are a major nation and a powerhouse. The man who emulated Diego Maradona by inspiring Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar four years ago will now hope to leave a similar mark on England as his legendary predecessor.
Head-to-Head Matchup
The nations have not met since the infamous 1986 quarter-final at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, where Maradona punched in to score the 'Hand of God' opener and then ran past half the England defence for his team's second goal — perhaps the greatest World Cup goal of all time. Messi has not scored one quite like that, but ahead of the semi-finals, he had scored more World Cup goals than any other player, with 21 goals from a tournament record 32 appearances.
Argentina are now one game away from reaching another World Cup final, as they aim to become the first team to retain the trophy since Brazil in 1962. It would be a third final in four World Cups, and Messi could follow in the footsteps of Brazil great Cafu, who played in three consecutive finals from 1994 to 2002.
Why This Matters
This match is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for both teams, with Messi coming towards the end of his career and England seeking to make a statement in the tournament. The outcome of this semi-final will have a significant impact on the legacy of these two footballing giants.