Soccer
Messi set to finally face England after 21-year wait─── MORGAN PIEK 12:06 Mon, 13 Jul 2026
For more than two decades, Lionel Messi has dazzled football fans around the world, taking on almost every major football nation imaginable in more than 205 appearances for Argentina.
Yet, one of the most remarkable anomalies of his legendary international career is that he has never faced England – until now.
That long-standing anomaly will finally come to an end on Wednesday night when Argentina and England meet in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final in Atlanta.
Lionel Messi. Photo: X
It is a surprising statistic. Since making his senior debut for Argentina in 2005, Messi has played against football heavyweights such as Brazil, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and Portugal. He has also faced nations from every continent, but England has somehow remained absent from his list of international opponents.
Ironically, the last meeting between Argentina and England came in November 2005, when the Three Lions claimed a thrilling 3-2 victory in Geneva, Switzerland. Michael Owen scored twice, while Wayne Rooney also found the back of the net for England, while Hernán Crespo and Walter Samuel were on target for Argentina.
Messi, then just 18 years old, missed that match while serving a suspension after being sent off only 47 seconds into his international debut against Hungary three months earlier.
Since then, the stars have simply never aligned. Argentina and England have avoided one another at World Cups, while the increasingly crowded international calendar has made intercontinental friendlies far less common.
The introduction of the UEFA Nations League has further limited England’s opportunities to play top nations from outside Europe, while Argentina have often arranged fixtures in North America, Asia and the Middle East for commercial reasons.
The irony is Messi has enjoyed tremendous success against English club sides throughout his career. During his time with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, he tormented the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur, delivering countless memorable goals and match-winning performances in the UEFA Champions League. Yet, despite dominating England's biggest clubs, he never had the chance to test himself against the national team.
Speaking after Argentina’s 3-1 quarter-final victory over Switzerland in Kansas City, Messi admitted that finally facing the Three Lions would be a special occasion.
“Playing against England is special because they are a powerhouse, and matches against powerhouses are always special,” said Messi.
“It’s the first time I’m going to play against them. I’ve played against everyone except England, so it will be nice for that reason too.”
“We’ll experience it for what it is – a World Cup semi-final against a great team, and we’ll try to arrive in the best possible shape to compete again.”
Wednesday night’s clash in Atlanta will mark the sixth meeting between Argentina and England at the Football World Cup. Kick-off is at 21:00.
