Lionel Messi will finally face England on Wednesday night in the World Cup semi-final, marking the first time in his 22-year international career that he has played against the Three Lions. Despite amassing 205 caps for Argentina, Messi missed the only previous meeting between the two sides in 2005 due to suspension.
Messi's Red Card Debut
Argentina and England last faced each other in a friendly in Geneva, Switzerland, in 2005. Messi was suspended for that game after receiving a straight red card in his international debut against Hungary, just under a minute after coming on as a substitute at age 18. England won the match 3-2, with Michael Owen scoring twice in the final four minutes to overturn a 2-1 deficit.
Near Misses at Major Tournaments
Since 2005, the two teams have been kept apart by the luck of the draw and early eliminations. The closest they came to a World Cup meeting was in 2010, when England would have faced Argentina in the quarter-finals had they beaten Germany in the Round of 16. In 2022, Argentina played Italy in the Finalissima at Wembley; England would have been their opponent had they not lost to Italy in the Euro 2021 final on penalties.
Messi on Facing England
Messi, who has scored 125 goals for Argentina, is relishing the opportunity. 'The truth is, yes, it is always special to play against the big teams,' Messi said after the quarter-final win over Switzerland. 'It never happened to me against England, it's the first time, so it's going to be a special match, a World Cup semi-final.' He added, 'I've played against everyone except England, so it's going to be nice for that reason too.'
Storied World Cup History
England and Argentina have a rich World Cup rivalry. The last competitive meeting was in the 2002 group stage, won 1-0 by England via a David Beckham penalty after Michael Owen was fouled by Mauricio Pochettino. In 1998, Argentina beat England on penalties in the Round of 16, a game infamous for Beckham's red card for kicking Diego Simeone. The 1986 quarter-final saw Diego Maradona score the 'Hand of God' and the 'Goal of the Century' in a 2-1 win. England lead the overall head-to-head with four wins to Argentina's two.
How England Could Stop Messi
Former England captain Bryan Robson suggested man-marking Messi could be an option. 'Could Djed Spence do a job on Lionel Messi? He could, so long as he keeps control of himself,' Robson told Hajper. 'It all depends on where Messi lines up. If the managers just put a man marker on him... Could Declan Rice shut him down? Elliot Anderson could be capable of playing that role.' Robson cautioned that man-marking could sacrifice the marker's attacking contribution.
