LIVE | England vs. Argentina: follow the minute-by-minute of the titans’ clash for a ticket to the 2026 World Cup final

England and Argentina meet this Wednesday at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta in what will be a very spicy clash of titans due to the historical rivalry between both teams that transcends the boundaries of football. The winner of the World Cup semifinal will take the direct train to New Jersey to play the final next Sunday against Spain, while the loser will have to settle for the ticket to Miami to compete for third and fourth place with France.

The match between England and Argentina is a classic that wrote the history of the World Cup over four decades. Few national team matchups carry as much controversy and intrigue as that of Argentines and English, whose rivalry has been seasoned both on and off the pitch.

For the sixth time in a World Cup, both teams will face each other in a historic rivalry that mixes sport, politics, and society. The Falklands War, the ‘Hand of God’ and the ‘Goal of the Century’ scored by Diego Maradona in Mexico 1986, but also the tense English victories of 1966, on the way to the only British world title, and the last precedent, in 2002, appear as a mix of ingredients that add spice to a duel that will write a new chapter.

In the previous five occasions they faced each other on football’s biggest stage – in group stages, round of 16, and quarterfinals – there was not as much at stake. The Europeans celebrated three times and the South Americans twice.

“We take it as a football match, as a World Cup semifinal, we understand everything behind it and all the history, that is something we cannot change,” said Argentine Alexis Mac Allister about those ingredients that make the game special.

England has not shown spectacular football so far in the World Cup, but has managed to get through very complicated matches thanks to individual plays from its two brightest stars, Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, who each have six goals in this tournament.

The Three Lions arrived at the World Cup as one of the favorites. In numbers and results, they have lived up to the label, but have faced hardships on the way to the final four. The inventors of football stumbled against Ghana (0-0) in the group stage and came back from behind to beat DR Congo 2-1 in the round of 16 and Norway in the quarterfinals just before the final whistle.

Against Mexico (3-2), in the round of 16, they resisted almost the entire second half with one man less. And with that growing resilience, they will seek to spoil the sixth and last World Cup of what many consider the greatest footballer in history.

“We all know how good Messi is, but we also know how good Argentina is. We cannot depend solely on (stopping) Messi,” said English goalkeeper Jordan Pickford on Monday.

Argentina faces the event with the credentials of the world champion, the title won in Qatar in the final against France to deliver to Lionel Messi his long-awaited World Cup. La Albiceleste reached their second consecutive semifinals after advancing as leaders in a group with Algeria, Austria, and Jordan and after eliminating, with difficulty, Cape Verde, Egypt, and Switzerland.

The team led by Lionel Scaloni had to go through two extra times, against Cape Verde in the round of 16 and in the quarterfinals against Switzerland, the last opponent against whom a spectacular goal by Julián Álvarez in the 110th minute began to secure the semifinal spot, definitively sealed by another goal from Lautaro Martínez in the 120+1 minute for the final 3-1.

Messi, who has eight goals in this World Cup, was decisive with the corner kick cross that Alexis Mac Allister headed into the net for the momentary 1-0. Number 10 prepares for a high-demand test, against an England that eliminated Norway in the quarterfinals, also after extra time.

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