Argentina and England renew a storied rivalry with a World Cup final at stake
What happened
Argentina meet England in the World Cup semi-final at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on July 15, with a place in the final against Spain on the line. According to Al Jazeera, the tie renews one of football's most charged rivalries at the last-four stage, the winner advancing to face the European champions on July 19.
Both sides reached this point the hard way, Argentina beating Switzerland 3-1 in extra time and England edging Norway by the same route through a Jude Bellingham double.
Why it matters
For Argentina, it is a chance to carry Lionel Messi to another final in what is expected to be his last World Cup, with the captain leading the tournament's scoring charts. For England, it is an opportunity to reach a first World Cup final since 1966 and to justify the expectation that has followed Thomas Tuchel's side.
The rivalry adds an edge that needs little manufacturing, the nations having met in some of the competition's most memorable and contentious matches, and a semi-final only sharpens the stakes.
Context
Messi arrives as the tournament's standout figure, described by Al Jazeera as the leading scorer with eight goals and the holder of the record for most World Cup goals. England have leaned on Bellingham's knockout form, the midfielder having scored decisive braces against both Mexico and Norway, with Harry Kane, the country's record World Cup marksman, alongside him.
Spain are already through to the final after beating France, meaning the winner here will have little recovery time before Sunday's showpiece.
What to watch next
The immediate focus is the individual contest between Messi and England's Bellingham and Kane, and whether Tuchel's side can handle both the occasion and Argentina's experience in tight knockout games. How each side manages the tie's tension — and the history that surrounds it — will shape a semi-final with a final place as the prize. The winner meets Spain in New Jersey on July 19.