England set to clash with Messi and Argentina in World Cup semi-final clash | 2026 World Cup

It has been reported as one of the biggest grudges in the history of international football. After England’s players rode their luck against Erling Haaland’s Norway on a tense night in Miami, they spent Sunday recovering at home in Kansas City as thoughts turned to facing Argentina in the World Cup semi-finals on Wednesday.

Thomas Tuchel’s side will face the reigning champions in what promises to be an emotional event in Atlanta with the chance to play France or Spain in the final.

It will be the first time that 39-year-old Lionel Messi, arguably the greatest male player to ever play and likely to play in the last World Cup, will face England and the first time the two countries have met in a competitive match since the 2002 World Cup in Japan, when David Beckham scored the winning penalty.

Beckham, president and owner of Major League Soccer team Inter Miami, was in the crowd at Miami Stadium on Saturday night with his wife, Victoria, and members of their family. The former England captain was seen singing Hey Jude after the game in honor of the team’s hero who scored two goals, Jude Bellingham. He was also photographed with some of the England players including the captain, Harry Kane, and Declan Rice as they trained at the Inter Miami training ground in Fort Lauderdale before the game.

“What a long time in Miami,” Beckham wrote on Instagram. “I’m proud of the team tonight reaching the semi-finals of the World Cup and celebrating with my family was special … Thank you England for giving our country these moments.”

Not for the first time, Bellingham was the hero in England’s 2-1 victory, scoring the winner in extra time, after Andreas Schjelderup had scored against Norway. But his equalizer at the end of the first half was disappointing. Replays appeared to show the Norwegian goal hitting an overhead television cable suspended above the pitch where the stadium was being built, although Fifa issued a statement saying a sensor on the ball showed there was no evidence it had touched it. That was contradicted by the Norwegian coach, Ståle Solbakken, who said it was creating “a misunderstanding for our players”.

Tuchel criticized his players’ performance after the game and said they were “lucky”, despite being only the fourth England senior men’s manager to reach the finals of the World Cup, following Alf Ramsey, Bobby Robson and Gareth Southgate.

His comments drew an angry response from Bellingham, with the Real Madrid star delivering the line that “he probably doesn’t know what it’s like to play in those conditions against Erling Haaland, [Martin] Ødegaard, [Antonio] Nusa, [Alexander] Sørloth” in the apparent handling of Germany’s inexperience as a top player retired at the age of 25 due to a knee injury.

Tuchel, who extended his contract until 2028 before the World Cup, may have to find a way to patch things up with one of his key players ahead of the big meeting with Argentina. But the 52-year-old said he enjoyed the ride, having led England to their first tournament since losing to Spain in the 2024 European Championship final under Southgate.

“It’s intense,” said Tuchel. “I enjoy it a lot. I feel more alive in these moments. I enjoy it a lot but having the playoffs every three times, four days is a new level of demand and a new level of emotional rollercoaster. I admit that. So I also need a little time now. We will give the players [Sunday] full recovery and our preparation for the game with the staff starts this afternoon.”

Argentina booked their place in the semi-finals by defeating 10-man Switzerland in Kansas City, where they are also based. Pictures from the dining room after the match showed some of their players singing a profane song about the Falklands War in 1982 and promising to win the World Cup “Las Malvinas, por Diego [Maradona] and por la ultima de Leo [Messi]” – “in the Falklands, Diego’s and Leo’s last”.

A quick guide

England v Argentina: previous World Cup meetings

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England 3-1 Argentina, 1962: The team played in Chile, and England comfortably beat the opposition, as one report put it, using a “brutal, massed defensive structure”. Ron Flowers scored an early penalty and Bobby Charlton made it 2-0 from 20 yards just before half-time. Jimmy Greaves grabbed a third before José Sanfilippo slotted home the consolation.

England 1-0 Argentina, 1966: The quarter-final was known in Argentina as ‘The robbery of the century’ and marked the beginning of the competition. The game soon reached a kick-off contest and when Antonio Rattin was sent off for a second bookable offense in the 33rd minute for insulting referee Rudolf Kreitlein it all started. Argentina’s captain refused to leave the field until the restart was eight minutes late, with the coaching staff and officials still frustrated. The match was settled by Geoff Hurst’s header from Martin Peters but, at the final whistle, the Argentines surrounded the referee, who had to be removed by the police. England manager Sir Alf Ramsey described the Argentines as “animals”.

England 1-2 Argentina, 1986: Arguably the two most memorable moments of the games came within four minutes of each other in the quarter-final at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City by Diego Maradona. The first ‘hand of God’ incident (pictured) involved the midfielder hitting goalkeeper Peter Shilton with his arm raised. He then scored what Fifa called the ‘Goal of the Century’, collecting the ball in his own half before heading towards goal with 11 touches in 11 seconds past helpless England players.

England 2-2 Argentina (Argentina won 4-3 on penalties), 1998: A peak for young Michael Owen and a low for David Beckham in the last 16. Gabriel Batistuta and Alan Shearer traded penalties in the opening 10 minutes before Owen scored a stunning solo goal. Javier Zanetti equalized before the break and Beckham was sent off for kicking Diego Simeone while on the ground two minutes after the break. Glenn Hoddle’s side won the penalty shootout, where Carlos Roa saved David Batty who should have scored the fifth goal.

England 1-0 Argentina, 2002: Beckham’s redemption rate, even though it was only a team game. Owen also terrorized the defense and after being brought down by Mauricio Pochettino a minute before half-time, Beckham fired home the penalty, sparking shirt-kissing and emotional outbursts. PA Media

It will be the sixth time that England and Argentina have fought each other in the World Cup, but they will start at this stage. England won the 1962 group stage and the 1966 quarter-finals after Antonio Rattín, the Argentina captain, was sent off at Wembley. His death was announced on Saturday at the age of 89. But by far the most infamous meeting took place in 1986 at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City – where England beat their counterparts in the last 16 last week – when Maradona scored his Hand of God goal in the quarter-final before adding a stunning individual strike to win the tie. Argentina then won on penalties in 1998 after Michael Owen scored and Beckham was sent off, ahead of Beckham’s winner four years later.

Both sets of supporters will head to Atlanta, with more than 15,000 England fans thought to have attended the game in Miami and many planning to stay in the United States. There were reports of several minor scuffles with Argentina fans on the beach in Miami after the win over Norway and Georgian authorities looked to secure a possible score in the days before the game as thousands made the trip from Argentina.