England and Argentina Face Off in FIFA World Cup 2026 Semi-Final

Kathmandu. England and Argentina are facing each other once again on the FIFA World Cup stage after 24 years. This time, a direct competition will be held between two great strikers of world football, Harry Kane and Lionel Messi. The winner of this exciting semi-final match, which will start at 12:45 AM on Thursday night according to Nepali time, will compete with Spain in the World Cup final to be held on Sunday at the New York-New Jersey Stadium.

The football history between these two nations is very interesting and full of controversies. From Diego Maradona's famous 'Hand of God' goal in the 1986 World Cup to David Beckham receiving a red card for kicking Diego Simeone in 1998, the competition between England and Argentina has always been full of tension and excitement. In addition, the political dispute over the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands has also made this game on the field more sensitive.

Both teams have reached the semi-finals of this World Cup by overcoming difficult circumstances. England's goal is to stop Lionel Messi and reach the World Cup final for the first time in 60 years and win the title. England advanced by topping Group 'L' with seven points, where they defeated Croatia and Panama and drew with Ghana. In the Round of 32, England defeated the Democratic Republic of Congo with a great comeback in the second half and then beat co-host Mexico 3-2 at the prestigious Azteca Stadium to reach the last 16. In the quarter-finals, England secured a place in the final four by overturning a one-goal deficit to defeat Norway 2-1 in extra time.

Argentina's goal is also to win difficult matches and reach the World Cup final for the second consecutive time and defend the title. Argentina topped Group 'G' by defeating Algeria, Austria, and Jordan. In the Round of 32, they defeated Cape Verde 3-2 in extra time. In the last 16, Argentina registered a dramatic 3-2 victory after coming back from a two-goal deficit against Egypt, and there was also controversy regarding the referee's decision in that match. The quarter-final match against Switzerland also went into extra time, where Argentina won 3-1.

Lionel Messi, 39, will face England for the first time in his 21-year international career. He missed the opportunity to play against England due to a red card in a friendly match in 2005. Messi said it would be special to play against England, as they have played against almost all the big teams and are superpowers of world football. Messi, who has scored 8 goals in 6 matches in the ongoing tournament, is on a mission to win the Golden Boot and make Argentina the first nation to win two consecutive World Cups since 1962 as captain. If Argentina wins, Messi will equal the record of Brazilian great captain Cafu, who played in three consecutive World Cup finals.

England has not won any major title since winning the World Cup on their home soil in 1966, but this team, led by Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, looks ready to make history. According to goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, the team is ready to handle the pressure. He said the team has shown the desire to win throughout the tournament and will respond on the field through football without getting involved in off-field controversies. England, ranked fourth in the FIFA rankings, is playing in the semi-finals for the fourth time in their last five major tournaments.

The referee team for this match includes Ismail Elfath from the USA as the main referee, assisted by American assistant referees Cory Parker and Kyle Atkins. Italy's Maurizio Mariani will be the fourth official, and Daniele Bindoni will be the reserve assistant referee. These two teams have played 14 matches so far, with England winning 6 matches, Argentina winning 3 matches, and the remaining 5 matches ending in a draw. Looking at the recent results between the two teams, England won 3-2 in a friendly match in 2005, while England won 1-0 in the 2002 World Cup. Before that, the match in 2000 ended in a goalless draw, while in the 1998 World Cup, after a 2-2 draw, Argentina won 4-3 on penalties. The 1991 match also ended in a 2-2 draw.

For this exciting clash, England has fielded its official starting team in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Jordan Pickford will be in goal for the team. The defense will consist of Reece James, John Stones, Marc Guéhi, and Jarrad Branthwaite. Declan Rice and Conor Gallagher will be in defensive midfield, while Morgan Rogers, Jude Bellingham, and Anthony Gordon will be responsible for attacking midfield. Captain Harry Kane will be on the field as the main striker for the team.

On the other hand, Argentina has decided its starting team in a 4-4-2 formation. Emiliano Martínez will be the goalkeeper to strengthen the team's defense, while Nicolás Tagliafico, Lisandro Martínez, Cristian Romero, and Nahuel Molina will take the field in defense. The midfield command will be handled by Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister, Leandro Paredes, and Giovanni Simeone. The forward line and attack will be led by Julián Álvarez and captain Lionel Messi.