Location: Atlanta, Georgia, United States.
Stadium: Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Date: Wednesday, July 15
Kick-off Time: 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. BST
Referee: Ismail Elfath (USA)
England and Argentina face off in an exciting FIFA World Cup semifinal, with a spot in the final on the line. Both nations have advanced through challenging knockout stages, each showcasing different strengths, setting the stage for a clash between two confident teams that have consistently demonstrated their ability to succeed under pressure.
England enter the match unbeaten after a 2-1 win over Norway in extra time, while Argentina have kept their flawless tournament record intact with a 3-1 win against Switzerland. With both sides riding high on attacking form and displaying resilience in tough situations, this semifinal is poised to be one of the most memorable fixtures of the tournament.
England vs. Argentina Head-To-Head
These two nations possess a World Cup rivalry that requires minimal introduction. During the 1986 World Cup quarter-final in Mexico City, Argentina emerged victorious over England with a 2-1 victory, a match overshadowed by Diego Maradona’s two goals—one intentionally scored with his hand and the other celebrated as arguably the greatest individual goal in tournament history. Their paths crossed again at the 1998 World Cup, resulting in a 2-2 draw during regular time before Argentina advanced on penalties, and in the 2002 group stage, England secured a 1-0 victory thanks to a penalty from David Beckham.
Throughout all official matches and friendlies recorded, these teams have faced each other 15 times. Notably, England claimed a memorable 3-2 victory in a friendly in 2005, and the teams also drew 0-0 at Wembley in 2000. However, when it comes to World Cup encounters, history has generally favored Argentina when the stakes are at their highest.
England fans might point to their 2002 win as proof that the trend can change. Nonetheless, Argentina’s strong record in knockout stages, combined with their current squad strength, positions them favorably both historically and in the present context as they approach this match-up.
England vs Argentina team news and predicted line-ups
England
Jarell Quansah completes a two-game ban but Declan Rice (illness) hopes to prove his fitness.
Predicted line-up (4-2-3-1): Pickford; James, Konsa, Guehi, O’Reilly; Rice, Anderson; Saka, Bellingham, Gordon; Kane.
Rest of squad: Stones, Madueke, Burn, Chalobah, Eze, J Henderson, D Henderson, Mainoo, Rashford, Rogers, Spence, Toney, Trafford, Watkins.
Argentina
Facundo Medina is a doubt but Cristian Romero and Leandro Paredes are expected to feature.
Predicted line-up (4-1-3-2): E Martinez; Molina, Romero, Lisandro Martinez, Tagliafico; Paredes; De Paul, E Fernandez, Mac Allister; Messi, Alvarez.
Rest of squad: Almada, Barco, Gonzalez, Lo Celso, Lopez, Lautaro Martinez, Medina, Montiel, Musso, Otamendi, Palacios, Paz, Rulli, Senesi, Simeone.
