Atlanta to host England and Argentina World Cup semi-final clash
England are set to face Argentina in a World Cup semi-final match in Atlanta Stadium, a fixture being described as the biggest for the Three Lions since their 1966 World Cup final victory. The match, scheduled for Wednesday, brings together two footballing nations with a long and often controversial history on the pitch.
Head coach Thomas Tuchel and his squad have the opportunity to reach England’s first men’s World Cup final in 60 years. The global interest in this encounter was evident as Tuchel’s pre-match media briefing required a larger venue to accommodate attendees.
A History of Rivalry and Near Misses
Since their 1966 World Cup triumph, England have reached two World Cup semi-finals, at Italia ’90 and then in Russia eight years ago. Despite a strong record in recent major tournaments, England have fallen short of securing a trophy.
The journey to the 2018 World Cup semi-finals concluded with a 2-1 loss to Croatia after extra time, following Kieran Trippier’s early goal. Similarly, in the delayed Euro 2020 final at Wembley in July 2021, England lost to Italy on penalties after Luke Shaw scored in the second minute.
The World Cup quarter-final loss to France in Qatar four years ago saw England beaten by a strong side, with Harry Kane missing a late penalty. The subsequent run to the Euro 2024 final ended in a 2-1 defeat to Spain in Berlin.
Tuchel expressed the team’s determination, stating, “We now want to squeeze the last bit out. We want to take the next step. I really like the energy in our camp. The players are very excited, very ambitious. That’s exactly what we need for this game.”
The rivalry between England and Argentina dates back to 1966. Their World Cup quarter-final at Wembley that year is remembered for the sending off of Argentina’s captain Antonio Rattin. Following Geoff Hurst’s late winner, England boss Sir Alf Ramsey famously refused to allow his players to swap shirts, later referring to the Argentinian team as “animals.”
The two nations met again in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final in Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium, four years after the Falklands War. This match featured Diego Maradona’s “Hand Of God” goal and his subsequent brilliant second goal, leading to a 2-1 victory for Argentina, who went on to win the World Cup.
At France ’98, a last-16 game saw David Beckham sent off for kicking out at Diego Simeone, and an 18-year-old Michael Owen scoring a memorable solo goal. Argentina ultimately prevailed on penalties, adding to England’s World Cup disappointments.
Four years later, in a World Cup group game in Sapporo, Japan, David Beckham scored the winning penalty. However, Argentina protested, claiming Owen had dived after a challenge from Mauricio Pochettino.
Tuchel acknowledged the significance of the rivalry, saying, “It is a very big rivalry between two big footballing nations. I could say the history is irrelevant but I’m not sure. The players are aware of it. When a fixture provides so many iconic moments, you can’t say it is just another football match.” Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni added, “We all have stories from that past time and history and it all makes it very emotional.”
The Messi Factor and Key Players
This World Cup could mark the final appearance for Argentina’s Lionel Messi, who achieved his dream of winning the trophy at Qatar 2022. Despite being 39, Messi continues to be a pivotal player for Argentina, inspiring his team and carrying the hopes of his nation.
His tears of relief and joy after Argentina scored three goals in the final 11 minutes to beat Egypt in the last 16, after being 2-0 down, demonstrated his enduring desire for a second World Cup. Tuchel praised Messi, stating, “Messi is just incredible. There are no words left for his kind of achievement, with the quality and leadership he shows. He’s the leader and the key player in any team he plays for and he is in this Argentina team.”
Messi’s first encounter with England in a World Cup match is highly anticipated. While he has never played against England at the international level, he has a significant record against Premier League clubs. Since the 2009 Champions League final, Messi has played 26 games against English clubs, winning 17, losing four, and scoring 27 goals.
On England’s side, Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane have been instrumental in their progression to the semi-finals. Tuchel’s team has scored 13 goals in this World Cup, with 12 of those coming from Bellingham and Kane. Marcus Rashford, who scored in the 4-2 opening win against Croatia, is the only other player to have scored for England so far.
Both England and Argentina have faced challenging situations in the knockout phase, with Argentina escaping difficult matches against Cape Verde, Egypt, and Switzerland. Tuchel will be hoping that Argentina’s ability to navigate these tight situations will not hold in the upcoming semi-final. The winner of this match will advance to Sunday’s World Cup final against Spain.
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Source: bbc.com