Argentina and England face off in a World Cup semifinal on Wednesday and this one has a little bit more history than most.
This is the first encounter between the two at the tournament since 2002 and Wednesday’s encounter will be the sixth with England currently leading the head-to-head 3-1
Argentina vs England is never just another fixture to the fans.
But Lionel Scaloni is calling for calm ahead of the semifinal:
“It’s just a football match.” 🎙️🇦🇷 #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/RpusLvtL1W
— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) July 12, 2026
The Road Behind
Neither side has had an easy run. Argentina required extra time to win both the round of 32 against Cape Verde and the quarter-final against Switzerland, with a dramatic comeback from 2-0 down against Egypt in between.
England have had a similarly difficult route – a scare against DR Congo, a 3-2 triumph over Mexico with ten men for most of the second half and an extra-time success over Norway in the quarterfinal, according to ESPN
The Storylines
This is advertised as the final World Cup encounter for Lionel Messi, whether it finishes here or in the final on Sunday.
He has eight goals, tied for the tournament lead, and now has 21 career goals in the World Cup , extending his personal record.
Jude Bellingham has been England’s difference-maker, scoring several goals in back-to-back knockout games in the same tournament for the first time since Diego Maradona in 1986.
The Numbers
Opta’s supercomputer gives England a slim advantage with a 38.9 percent likelihood of winning in normal time against Argentina’s 34.1 percent.
The chance of the match going to overtime is 27 percent.
The winner will go on to Sunday’s final against either France or Spain for the World Cup title and there’s a chance of a consecutive title for Argentina on the line if they overcome the English men
