Argentina request navy kit to echo 1986 Maradona strip ahead of England World Cup semi-final

Argentina have formally requested permission from FIFA to wear their navy blue away kit for the World Cup semi-final against England, ditching their traditional pale blue and white stripes in a calculated bid to invoke the spirit of Diego Maradona’s legendary 1986 campaign.

The Argentine Football Association (AFA) submitted the request specifically to mirror the darker strip Maradona wore during the 1986 World Cup in Mexico — the tournament in which Argentina eliminated England in the quarter-finals through the infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal and a solo effort widely regarded as the greatest in the competition’s history. The choice is widely interpreted as a superstitious move designed to channel the symbolism of that victory.

The mind games have extended beyond the kit room. Buenos Aires newspaper Crónica splashed the fixture across its front page with a photograph of captain Lionel Messi alongside a headline translating as: “I’ve been meaning to catch up with you guys.” The paper also drew attention to a notable gap in Messi’s otherwise exhaustive international record — despite nearly two decades at the top of the game, the Argentina talisman has never once faced England on a football pitch.

Crónica posed the question of what landmarks remain for Messi to conquer, before answering its own question: a high-stakes match against England is the one fixture the 37-year-old has yet to experience.

The historical weight between these two nations runs deep. Every encounter carries the long shadow of Maradona, and Argentina’s kit request makes clear that their camp has no intention of letting England forget it. Whether the psychological gambit translates onto the pitch remains to be seen, but the semi-final is already loaded with narrative before a ball has been kicked.