WC 2026 ⚽ · 15 July 2026

Messi to play England for first time in World Cup semi-final

Bryan Berlin via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-4.0)

Lionel Messi will finally play against England in the World Cup semi-finals on Wednesday, despite making his Argentina debut 21 years ago. He missed their last friendly in 2005 due to a red card suspension from his international debut against Hungary. Argentina and England have also been kept apart in major tournaments for over two decades, contributing to this rare encounter.

By BriefTea Editorial · 15 July 2026 at 18:45

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