Giuliano Simeone starts for Argentina against England 27 years after his father's infamous Beckham moment

Giuliano Simeone will line up for Argentina against England in their World Cup semi-final, reviving one of football’s most charged rivalries through one of its most recognisable surnames. The 23-year-old winger is Argentina’s only change for the tie, replacing Rodrigo De Paul.

The Simeone name is woven into the fabric of England-Argentina history. At the 1998 World Cup last-16 in Saint-Étienne, Diego Simeone — now the combustible head coach of Atletico Madrid — provoked David Beckham into a retaliatory kick, earning the England midfielder a red card in what Beckham himself has described as the lowest moment of his career. Ten-man England were subsequently eliminated on penalties.

Giuliano, born in Rome while his father was playing for Lazio, grew up in Argentina before joining Atletico Madrid in 2019 to play under Diego. He has made just one previous appearance at this World Cup, making tonight’s semi-final only his second outing of the tournament.

The fixture carries weight beyond that single incident. England and Argentina had not met in competitive football between the 2002 and the current World Cup, and their shared history stretches back further than the Beckham moment — most notably to the 1986 quarter-final and Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ goal.

Diego Simeone, who earned 108 caps for Argentina during his playing career, has been a visible presence in the stands throughout this tournament. In a detail that underlines how much time has passed since 1998, he was photographed smiling alongside Beckham in Miami ahead of the competition.