Lionel Messi will finally play against England for the first time in his 205-cap international career when Argentina face the Three Lions in the 2026 World Cup semi-final on Wednesday night. The two nations have not met since a friendly in Geneva, Switzerland, in 2005, a match Messi missed due to suspension after being sent off on his Argentina debut against Hungary.
Messi's Debut Red Card and the 2005 Friendly
Messi's international debut for Argentina came against Hungary in August 2005, but the then 18-year-old was shown a straight red card less than a minute after coming on as a substitute. The suspension meant he sat out the friendly against England in Geneva in November 2005. England won that match 3-2, with Michael Owen scoring twice in the final four minutes to complete a dramatic comeback after Argentina had led twice.
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 meeting was at the 2010 World Cup, where England would have faced Argentina in the quarter-finals had they beaten Germany in the Round of 16. Germany won 4-1. Another near miss occurred in 2022, when Argentina played Italy in the Finalissima at Wembley. That match pitted the Copa America 2021 winners against the Euro 2021 champions; England would have contested the match had they not lost to Italy on penalties in the Euro 2020 final.
No Friendly Since 2005
While the two countries have not faced each other at a major tournament since Messi's debut, a friendly could have been arranged. However, for reasons including off-field hostilities between the nations, no friendly has materialised. Messi himself acknowledged the rarity of the occasion, saying after Argentina's quarter-final win over Switzerland: 'The truth is, yes, it is always special to play against the big teams. 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.'
Messi's Excitement for the Clash
The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, who has scored 125 goals for Argentina, added: 'Obviously, everything I saw and remember is from videos and images that Argentinians constantly watch and relive [from 1986]. But I think this group is used to playing football matches regardless of the opponent. Obviously, playing against England is special because they are a powerhouse, and matches against powerhouses are always special. Personally, it's the first time I'm going to play against them. I've played against everyone except England, so it's going to be nice for that reason too.'
Storied World Cup History Between England and Argentina
The last competitive meeting between England and Argentina was at the 2002 World Cup, where England won 1-0 thanks to a David Beckham penalty after Michael Owen was fouled by Mauricio Pochettino. That victory avenged the 1998 World Cup Round of 16 loss on penalties, a match infamous for Beckham's red card for kicking Diego Simeone. Earlier, in 1986, Diego Maradona scored twice in a 2-1 quarter-final win for Argentina, with the 'Hand of God' and the 'Goal of the Century' becoming iconic moments. England had won the 1966 quarter-final 1-0 en route to the title, and the first World Cup meeting in 1962 saw England win 3-1. Overall, England lead the head-to-head record with four wins to Argentina's two.
