This mixture of file photographs created on July 12, 2026, reveals England’s ahead #09 Harry Kane in Miami on July 11, 2026 (L); and Argentina’s ahead #10 Lionel Messi in Miami Gardens on July 3, 2026. — AFP
KANSAS CITY: Lionel Messi has spent over twenty years carving a path by worldwide soccer, dealing with each World Cup-winning nation from Brazil to France, however one notable opponent has all the time been lacking from the checklist: England.
That can change on Wednesday when Argentina meet the European aspect in a World Cup semi-final in Atlanta, a heavyweight conflict that Argentina’s FA (AFA) described on its web site as “the match fate owed Messi.”
The 39-year-old Messi has performed Brazil, Uruguay, Germany, Italy, Spain and France throughout his profession, but by no means crossed paths with England.
The closest he got here was a pleasant in Geneva in November 2005, the final time the 2 sides confronted one another.
Argentina misplaced 3-2 as Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen, who scored twice, overturned objectives from Hernan Crespo and Walter Samuel. Messi, nonetheless, missed out after being despatched off on his worldwide debut towards Hungary earlier that 12 months.
“It’s special because they’re a great team, a powerhouse, and it’s always nice to play a team like that, a match of this kind,” Messi informed reporters after Argentina’s 3-1 quarter-final victory over Switzerland in further time on Saturday.
“We need to rest because we come from a lot of wear and tear, which the group obviously feels, and arrive in the best possible condition to keep doing what we’ve been doing: competing,” he added.
Argentina survived a 3rd consecutive dramatic knockout match, after defeating Cape Verde 3-2 in further time within the spherical of 32 and staging a comeback to beat Egypt 3-2 within the final 16 after trailing 2-0 with 11 minutes remaining.
Messi contributed with an help for Alexis Mac Allister’s opening aim towards Switzerland, but it surely was the primary World Cup match since Argentina’s 2-0 group-stage win over Poland at Qatar 2022 wherein Messi didn’t rating.
“England can outrun Argentina but they just have that little genius Messi. They all play for him. Everyone should be excited,” BBC pundit Micah Richards mentioned. “Marking him is impossible because he doesn’t run back.”
The England conflict will add one other chapter to one in every of soccer’s most emotionally charged rivalries, formed by a long time of sporting drama and political pressure, whereas giving Messi a spot in a fixture that has produced a few of Argentina’s most enduring soccer reminiscences.
