The pairing of England versus Argentina in the second semifinal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Wednesday has again exhumed memories of one of the bitter-sweet rivalries of the modern football. It is a rivalry that precedes the birth of all the gladiators that will be in action at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Wednesday.
For Lionel Messi who will be leading the Albiceleste in their quest to return to the final and defend the cup they won in Doha, Qatar four years ago, it is a mission that must be accomplished, perhaps, before calling time on his illustrious international career. It will not be an easy task, most especially, against a country in quest of the trophy coming back home after 60 years they last touched it.
Older generations of Argentines and English men and women will be looking beyond the pitch for what the Three Lions and the Albiceleste will be doing, chasing the ball. Memories of the Falklands War of 1982 will be evoked once more. Although the tension that existed in the immediate post war era may have given way, national ego remains strong when both countries play each other at the global level. Remember the song Muchachos thatArgentina players sang after their defeat of Egypt? It is Argentina’s referencing the Malvinas- a term for the South Atlantic islands at the heart of their bitter war with England.
A walk down memory lane also shows that of the five World Cup matches played between the two sides, it is England that are on top, but it has been a while since they won one that really mattered. With their last World Cup meeting back in 2002, many of the countries’ younger generations won’t even remember the rivalry.
According to BBC Sport, six decades of rivalry began in 1962 in Chile. Goals from Ron Flowers, Bobby Charlton and Jimmy Greaves put England into an unassailable 3-0 lead, with a late consolation from Argentina.
The two teams met again in the quarter-finals in 1966 when England hosted the mundial. Argentina, to this day, insist they were robbed in, claiming Geoff Hurst’s winning goal was offside.
That was just the tip of the iceberg when it came to controversy though, with Argentina captain Antonio Rattin sent off after just 33 minutes for two offences in the space of three minutes.
The clash between Argentina and England at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico in 1986, remains the most memorable to date. This quarter-final was played just four years after the two countries had fought the bitter Falklands War. This wasn’t just a football rivalry, political tensions were huge as well.
The Argentine media and public framed the match as a way to express their resentment at the conflict, while their British counterparts also leaned into it, using nationalistic language to heighten the animosity between the countries.
BBC World Service’s Lourdes Heredia, who was at the game in the Azteca Stadium, said: “My father wasn’t sure about his ‘princesses going’. He was worried that tensions between Argentina and England fans would spill over. My mother didn’t hesitate. A once in a lifetime opportunity.”
It provided a moment no English football fan from that era will ever forget as the genius that was Diego Maradona punched Argentina into the lead against England. Literally.
The Argentine number 10 leapt for a ball with England goalkeeper Peter Shilton but, somehow unnoticed, he opted to punch the ball into the empty net. If only VAR was around then.
To be fair to Maradona, he then scored probably the greatest World Cup goal of all time as he dribbled through half the England team, rounded Shilton and slotted home to double Argentina’s lead.
“When I lived and worked in Argentina, people regularly brought up the “Hand of God,” said Heredia. “But this is to forget that the second goal was just spectacular – almost unbelievable.” Gary Lineker pulled one back late on but it was to no avail as England crashed out in the most controversial of circumstances
It took until 2005 for Maradona to apologise. An apology Shilton rejected.
To rub salt into the wound, Argentina went on to beat West Germany in the final to lift the 1986 trophy.
For England legend, David Beckham, the 1998 World Cup in France is another bitter memories for the Three Lions. A match he will never forget.
The game will always be remembered for his kick out at Argentina’s Diego Simeone and subsequent red card.
Prior to that Gabriel Batistuta and Alan Shearer had traded penalties, before Michael Owen scored one of his country’s greatest World Cup goals to give England a 2-1 lead.
Owen burst past the Argentine defence to score a spectacular solo goal, before a clever free-kick saw Javier Zanetti level the scores before the break.
After Beckham’s red, England bravely hung on and even thought they had won it when Sol Campbell headed home in the 81st minute, only for it it to be ruled out for a push.
The match went to penalties which, after misses by David Batty and Paul Ince, Argentina prevailed in, before being knocked out themselves in the next round by the Netherlands.
To stoke the tensions in the rivalry further, Simeone admitted a year later: “Let’s just say the referee fell into the trap.
“It was also a difficult one for him to have avoided because I went down well and in moments like that there’s a lot of tension.
“You could say that my falling transformed a yellow card into a red card. But in fact, the most appropriate punishment was a yellow one.”
The Korea/Japan 2002 clash between England and Argentina will be remembered as redemption for Beckham.
The then England skipper scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot, after Owen was chopped down by Mauricio Pochettino – yes, that one.
Having only drawn with Sweden in their opening group game, it was a crucial win for the Three Lions.
A goalless draw for England against Nigeria in the final match saw them progress, while Argentina – who concluded with a 1-1 draw against Sweden – were eliminated before the knockouts for the first time since 1962.
England went on to beat Denmark in the last 16 before being knocked out by Brazil – and Ronaldinho’s impudent free-kick – in the quarters.
