Lionel Messi faces England for the first time. England won most World Cup meetings.
England play Argentina in a World Cup semi-final tonight in Atlanta, their first match in 21 years and the first time Lionel Messi faces England.
What happened
England face Argentina in the second World Cup semi-final at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on , kick-off 15:00 local time, with the winner meeting Spain in the final at MetLife Stadium.
England and Argentina have not played each other since 2005. Tonight is also the first time Lionel Messi has faced England in his international career.
Argentina are the only team left in the semi-finals who have not dropped a point. In the quarter-final they beat ten-man Switzerland 3-1 after extra time. Alexis Mac Allister headed in Messi’s cross in the tenth minute, and Julián Álvarez scored from 25 yards in the 112th minute.
England needed extra time too. Norway took the lead in Miami, but Jude Bellingham scored twice, at 45+2 and 93 minutes, and England won the quarter-final 2-1.
Messi is joint top of the tournament’s scoring list with eight goals. Harry Kane and Bellingham have six each. Against Norway, Jordan Pickford played his 18th World Cup game, a record for an England goalkeeper.
Sources: FIFA (2), Al Jazeera, Sky Sports
The Pattern
England won three of the five earlier World Cup games. This is the sixth time the two sides meet at a World Cup. In the knockout rounds, England won only one of three, and Argentina won both games that went to the very end, in 1986 and 1998. All five are below, newest first.
Show the other 3 cases
The Read
History and form lean slightly towards England. They won three of the five World Cup meetings. Opta’s model gives them 52.3% to go through, Bellingham has scored four goals in two knockout games, and Kane and Bellingham are both within two goals of the top scorer.
The record is weaker where it matters most. In knockout games England beat Argentina only once in three, and they went out in 1986 and 1998 in games where they were not behind on the run of play. Argentina have not dropped a point at this World Cup, and Messi has eight goals. Our market sits at 51, close to a coin toss.
Disclaimer
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