A classic World Cup rivalry will write its next chapter in Atlanta, as England and Argentina clash for a sixth time in this competition with a place in the final on the line.
England have been far from fluent in this World Cup, but their fighting spirit has shone through in the knockout stages, most recently battling from behind to beat Norway 2-1 after extra-time in the last eight.
While boss Thomas Tuchel and talisman Jude Bellingham gave contrasting views of the Three Lions’ latest success, they’ve now reached a fourth major tournament semi-final since 2018 – as many as in their entire history prior.
Tuchel is bidding to become the first foreign manager in 48 years to reach the World Cup final, while England haven’t reached that stage since winning the trophy in 1966, falling at the semi-final in both 1990 and 2018.
Defending champions Argentina have won all six games at this World Cup – and their last 12 at the finals overall – but have had to dig deep to navigate the knockout rounds. Lionel Scaloni’s men saw a second consecutive game marred by refereeing controversy as they needed extra-time to see off ten-man Switzerland 3-1 in the quarter-finals, making them the competition’s top scorers ahead of the semi-finals (17).
That’s just one short of Argentina’s record in a single World Cup set in 1930 when they reached the final, and you would have to be brave to back against them here given that they possess the competition’s best 100% win rate at the semi-final stage.
England may have only lost three of their 14 matches against Argentina, but the last two of those defeats came at the World Cup, famously in 1986 and 1998. The Three Lions have since gone unbeaten in three head to heads, winning the last two.
