World Cup 2026: Semi-final matchups, Messi’s form, and historical rivalries
Semi-final matchups confirmed
The semi-finals for the World Cup 2026 are now set, featuring the top four teams in Fifa‘s world rankings. France will play Spain on Tuesday in Arlington, Texas, while England is scheduled to face Argentina on Wednesday in Atlanta. This marks the first time that the top four ranked teams have all reached this stage of the tournament.
The progression of Spain (ranked first), Argentina (ranked second), France (ranked third), and England (ranked fourth) was influenced by a change implemented by Fifa for the 2026 World Cup. This adjustment placed these teams in separate quadrants of the draw, preventing them from meeting before the semi-finals, provided they each won their respective groups. All four teams successfully topped their groups, leading to these highly anticipated matchups.
Fifa described this strategic move as a way to ensure “competitive balance” by creating “two separate pathways to the semi-finals.” A similar approach is used in other major sporting events, such as Wimbledon and the new Champions League format, where seeded teams are kept apart in pairs.
Argentina and England renew rivalry
The upcoming semi-final clash between England and Argentina will renew one of international football’s most intense rivalries. This match, scheduled for Wednesday in Atlanta, will be the first meeting between the two nations in almost 21 years. Despite making over 200 appearances for Argentina, Lionel Messi has never faced England on the international stage.
Argentina secured their spot in the semi-finals by defeating Switzerland 3-1 in extra time. Julián Alvarez scored in the 112th minute, giving Argentina a 2-1 lead after Switzerland had equalised in the 67th minute. Lautaro Martínez added another goal in the 121st minute to seal the victory. Switzerland played with 10 men for a significant portion of the match after Breel Embolo received a second yellow card.
England advanced to the semi-finals after a 2-1 extra-time victory over Norway. Jude Bellingham scored both goals for England in what was described as a thrilling contest in challenging conditions. The match will take place at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
The historical rivalry between England and Argentina includes notable moments such as Diego Maradona‘s ‘Hand of God’ goal in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final and David Beckham‘s red card in 1998. The last friendly encounter between the two sides in 2005 ended in a 3-2 victory for England in Geneva.
Messi’s World Cup performance
Lionel Messi, who has made over 200 appearances and scored 125 goals for Argentina, is participating in his first international match against England. In the quarter-final against Switzerland, Messi did not score for the first time in this tournament. However, he remains a leading contender for the Golden Boot, having scored eight times, and is the World Cup‘s all-time leading goalscorer.
Pundits have commented on Messi‘s impact. Micah Richards noted that England can outrun Argentina but highlighted Messi‘s unique genius and aura. Chris Sutton suggested that England manager Thomas Tuchel and his players might relish playing the current Argentina team, despite their ability to find a way to win. Former England striker Wayne Rooney acknowledged Messi‘s defensive limitations but emphasised his ability to make crucial decisions and define games with moments of quality.
Messi‘s record against other national teams shows his scoring prowess. He has scored goals against Bolivia, Venezuela, and Ecuador. He has also scored goals against Uruguay and Brazil. Against European opponents, he has three goals each against Croatia, Switzerland, and France, including a double in the 2022 World Cup final against France. The only nation he has faced more than once without scoring is Qatar, whom he has played twice.
The semi-final between England and Argentina is scheduled for Wednesday in Atlanta.
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Source: bbc.co.uk
As NewsUK's Senior Football Correspondent, Thomas Beckwith reports on the Premier League, the EFL and the England national side for readers across the country. He reported on three World Cups for a national news agency. He holds a degree in Sports Journalism from Sheffield Hallam University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Thomas lives in Sheffield, where he watches lower-league football most weekends. “Football writing is about the decisions, not just the result.”
