The fixture has great historical significance. Their World Cup rivalry began in 1962 but intensified four years later when England beat Argentina 1-0 in a fiery quarterfinal to win its only World Cup title. The match is remembered for the controversial sending-off of Argentina captain Antonio Rattin.
Perhaps the defining chapter of the rivalry came in 1986 when Diego Maradona inspired Argentina to a quarterfinal victory with two unforgettable goals. His famous “Hand of God” strike remains one of the most debated moments in football, while his stunning solo effort is widely regarded as one of the greatest goals ever scored at a World Cup. The teams met again in 1998, when David Beckham’s red card proved costly in England’s penalty shootout loss, before Beckham found redemption by converting the winning penalty in England’s 1-0 period victory four years later.
England manager Thomas Tuchel is keen to keep his squad focused on the present despite the game’s rich history, while Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni paid tribute to Maradona’s incredible goal, describing it as a moment treasured by football fans around the world.
Both teams overcame challenging knockout campaigns to reach the semifinals. Argentina endured tough encounters against Cape Verde and Egypt before beating Switzerland after extra time, while England struggled against Congo and Norway and then overcame co-hosts Mexico despite playing most of the match with 10 men.
The competition also featured two generations of light attacks. Lionel Messi continues to lead Argentina with eight goals and key assists, while Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham lead England’s challenge, with Bellingham entering the semifinals after scoring two goals in each of his previous two games.