Image source, Getty ImagesEngland have the chance to take a giant stride towards immortality when they face Argentina in the World Cup semi-final in their biggest match since winning the 1966 final at Wembley.
The Three Lions have reached two World Cup semi-finals in the six decades since then – at Italia ’90 and then in Russia eight years ago – but this latest edition reignites an old rivalry, adding layers with history and controversial sub-plots.
England have lost the past two European Championship finals but, under the roof of the futuristic Atlanta Stadium, head coach Thomas Tuchel and his players have the chance to write themselves into legend by reaching the country’s first men’s World Cup final in 60 years.
The fact it was standing room only at Tuchel’s pre-match media briefing, even though it was moved to a bigger venue, illustrates the scale of global interest in this chapter.
Wednesday’s match (20:00 BST) is England’s latest chance to finally reach another global showpiece – a barrier that has proved insurmountable since Sir Alf Ramsey’s side lifted the Jules Rimet trophy in 1966.
Time for England’s ‘nearly men’ to deliver
England’s recent record in major tournaments is good – but not good enough. Nearly but not quite.
The only currency that counts at elite level is trophies, and so far winning one has proved agonisingly beyond this England side.
The journey to the 2018 World Cup semi-finals was widely regarded as a pleasant surprise, but ended badly as Sir Gareth Southgate and his side appeared frozen into conservatism after Kieran Trippier gave them the lead after five minutes against Croatia in Moscow, and they lost 2-1 after extra time.
Fast forward to the delayed Euro 2020 final, held at Wembley in July 2021 having been postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
England squandered another opportunity in similar circumstances to the 2018 World Cup – the Three Lions were once again gripped by inertia after Luke Shaw scored in the second minute and they lost on penalties to Italy.
This is the same Italy side who have not even qualified for the past three World Cups. It was an opportunity missed, especially at England’s Wembley home.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe World Cup quarter-final loss to France in Qatar four years ago was simply a case of a good side being beaten by a better one, although the agony was compounded by a rare Harry Kane penalty miss late on.
The subsequent run to the Euro 2024 final was stodgy with the occasional highlight, but culminated in a disappointing performance in the Berlin showpiece as Spain beat Southgate’s side 2-1.
Tuchel said: “We now want to squeeze the last bit out. We want to take the next step.
“I really like the energy in our camp. The players are very excited, very ambitious. That’s exactly what we need for this game.”
Six decades of controversy
What makes a World Cup semi-final with Argentina different from the meetings with West Germany in 1990 and Croatia in 2018 is the history of sporting antipathy and controversy between the two teams stretching back to 1966.
Their quarter-final at Wembley on a sun-kissed Saturday afternoon 60 years ago is best remembered for the sending off of Argentina’s brilliant but temperamental captain Antonio Rattin, which threatened to spark a walk-off by his team-mates.
Rattin, who died on 11 July aged 89, was eventually persuaded to leave but the rancour lasted long after Geoff Hurst’s late winner, with England boss Ramsey famously refusing to allow his players to swap shirts with Argentina, later describing them as “animals”.
Image source, Getty ImagesEngland and Argentina met in another quarter-final in Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium at the 1986 World Cup, with the Falklands War four years earlier providing the backdrop.
It was the day of Diego Maradona’s infamous “Hand Of God” – as well as his brilliant second goal – as Argentina won 2-1, and then went on to lift the World Cup.
France ’98 delivered a classic last-16 game best remembered for a wound-up David Beckham being sent off for kicking out at Diego Simeone, and the solo goal that brought an 18-year-old Michael Owen to global superstar status.
Argentina prevailed on penalties to provide yet more World Cup heartache for the Three Lions.
There was still lingering ill-feeling between the two teams when they met again four years later in a World Cup group game under Sapporo’s dome in Japan.
This time it was redemption for Beckham, who scored the winner with a first-half penalty, but Argentina complained long and loud – insisting Owen had dived amid a challenge from future Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino.
Tuchel said: “It is a very big rivalry between two big footballing nations.
“I could say the history is irrelevant but I’m not sure. The players are aware of it. When a fixture provides so many iconic moments, you can’t say it is just another football match.”
Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni – who represented his nation at the 2006 World Cup – added: “We all have stories from that past time and history and it all makes it very emotional.”
It is this backdrop, this history of acrimony, that elevates this encounter above those other semi-finals.
England have had many memorable games in the past six decades – but winning this match would outstrip them all and offer the chance for a historic triumph in Sunday’s World Cup final against Spain.
The Messi factor
Could this World Cup be the last dance for Argentina’s genius Lionel Messi?
He finally managed to fulfil his dream of winning the trophy at Qatar 2022, helping make up for past pain including the 2014 final defeat by Germany in Rio de Janeiro.
Messi might now be 39, but he still has brilliance in his boots and his brain, even if much of his work is done at walking pace these days.
He has walked 47% of the distance he has covered so far at this World Cup, the highest percentage of any outfield player at the tournament.
Image source, Getty ImagesBut Messi remains Argentina’s inspiration and the desire to win a second World Cup burns fiercely, as shown by his tears of relief and joy after his side scored three goals in the final 11 minutes to beat Egypt in the last 16, having been 2-0 down and facing a stunning exit.
He remains the player England will fear – and the man who carries the hopes of his nation as well as his team-mates.
England boss Tuchel said: “Messi is just incredible. There are no words left for his kind of achievement, with the quality and leadership he shows.
“He’s the leader and the key player in any team he plays for and he is in this Argentina team.”
World-class Kane & Bellingham are leading way
England have history at their feet – and in Jude Bellingham and Kane have two world-class players who have driven them to the last four.
Tuchel, meanwhile, is one of the world’s most respected coaches, who openly relishes the cut and thrust of knockout football – as he proved when winning the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021.
His side have scored 13 goals at this World Cup, but 12 of those have come from Bellingham and Kane. Marcus Rashford, with the final goal in the 4-2 opening win against Croatia, is the only other player on the scoresheet so far.
That might suggest England are relying too heavily on Bellingham and Kane, but equally shows how their two key players are in the form of their lives.
If England have occasionally stuttered, so have Argentina, escaping from difficult situations against Cape Verde, Egypt and Switzerland in the knockout phase.
Like England, Argentina have lived on the edge – and Tuchel will hope this is the day they fail to escape.
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