Messi set for first England meeting as Argentina chase another World Cup final

ATLANTA: Lionel Messi is set to face England for the first time in his career when Argentina meet the Three Lions in Wednesday’s World Cup semi-final in Atlanta, a match that could take the defending champions into another final.

The Argentina captain reached his 200th appearance for the national side in the group-stage win over Algeria. His international career began in 2005, shortly after he had broken into Barcelona’s first team and after helping Argentina win the Under-20 World Cup in the Netherlands.

Messi made his senior debut under Jose Pekerman in a friendly against Hungary in Budapest in August that year, coming on for Lisandro Lopez in the 64th minute and joining Hernan Crespo in attack. But his first appearance lasted only 90 seconds before he was sent off for what the referee judged to be an elbow.

Crespo defended the teenager after that dismissal.

“An 18-year-old kid who is making his debut for the national team and has so much hope — he can’t be punished like that. The referee needed to be more understanding,” said Crespo.

That red card led to a suspension for a friendly against England in Geneva three months later. Since then, Argentina and England have not met, meaning the semi-final at Mercedes-Benz Stadium will give Messi his first chance to play against England.

After Argentina’s quarter-final win over Switzerland in Kansas City, Messi said the occasion held special significance.

“I have played against everyone except England and it is special because they are a major nation, a powerhouse, and it is always nice to play against a side like that, especially in a World Cup semi-final,” said Messi after Argentina beat Switzerland in Kansas City in the last eight.

Argentina pursue another final

Messi, who led Argentina to the World Cup title in Qatar four years ago, now stands one match away from guiding his country into another final. Argentina are seeking to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to retain the trophy.

A place in the title match would also send Argentina into a third final in four World Cups. It would put Messi in position to follow Brazil’s Cafu, who appeared in three straight World Cup finals from 1994 to 2002, while Diego Maradona played in two.

Meetings between Argentina and England continue to bring back memories of the 1986 quarter-final in Mexico City, when Maradona scored the infamous Hand of God goal before adding a second after a dazzling run through the England defence.

Messi has not produced a World Cup goal of that kind, but before the semi-finals he had scored more goals at the tournament than any other player. He had 21 goals in a record 32 World Cup appearances, one more than France captain Kylian Mbappe after the quarter-finals. The Inter Miami forward had also scored in nine straight World Cup matches before the win over Switzerland, when Julian Alvarez was among those who supplied the goals instead.

Messi urged his teammates to appreciate the latest milestone in Argentina’s run.

“Getting to another semi-final is not a normal, mundane thing, so this is something we should really enjoy because we don’t know if it will happen again,” Messi said.

England’s players are also relishing the challenge of taking on Argentina and their captain. Nico O’Reilly, who could line up at left-back against Messi, described the tie as a rare opportunity.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Nico O’Reilly, who is likely to come up against Messi if he starts at left-back, told BBC Radio 5 Live . “He’s coming towards the end of his career. For me personally, he’s the best player to ever touch a football pitch. And yeah, I can’t wait for the challenge.”