England & Argentina to reignite fierce rivalry

From Diego Maradona’s infamous ‘Hand of God’ moment in 1986, to the likes of Lionel Messi and Jude Belligham hoping to forge history in the modern era, Argentina and England will reawaken their turbulent past with a keenly anticipated clash in the semifinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the Atlanta Stadium on Wednesday night.

Kick-off is at 9pm (CAT, GMT+2).

Argentina booked their ticket into the competition’s semifinals following a 3-1 win over Switzerland at the Kansas City Stadium last weekend.

Alexis Mac Allister opened the scoring in the 10th minute owing to a well-taken header from a corner situation, while Dan Ndoye levelled matters in the 67th minute as the game subsequently went into extra-time.

With little to separate the two sides, Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez popped up during the latter stages of the match as the Swiss eventually crumbled under the South American side’s pressure.

England on the other hand, secured a 2-1 win over Norway at the Miami Stadium last Saturday, owing to a Jude Bellingham masterclass.

Andreas Schjelderup broke the deadlock in the 36th minute as England stared in the face of defeat in Miami. However, a brace by Bellingham, which included a 93rd minute winner, ensured the Three Lions a spot in the semifinals of the world-renowned competition.

Reflecting on the upcoming match, England coach Thomas Tuchel believes that players such as Harry Kane and Bellingham will provide a straightforward formula in putting Argentina to the sword.

“If we are talking about a formula, it’s pretty simple: Put Harry and Jude together, they will do the rest,” Tuchel said.

“We need to get better in attacking, to also bring other players into position, but of course they are decisive players.”

Argentina: Julian Alvarez – While it took a while for Alvarez to kick on at the showpiece, the Atletico Madrid forward sprung to life against Switzerland and will head into the semifinals with added confidence. Whether it be from the bench or as a starter, Alvarez remains a dangerous weapon within the Argentine camp.

England: Jude Bellingham – With six goals in six matches at the World Cup, Bellingham has been a standout performer for England in the Americas. Along with his ability to crash the box with perfect timing, Bellingham’s tireless running could prove to be a stumbling block for Argentina throughout the match.

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