Messi targets back-to-back World Cups as Argentina face England for the first time

Lionel Messi will face England for the first time in his career when Argentina meet Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions in Wednesday’s World Cup 2026 semi-final in Atlanta — a fixture that carries the full weight of one of football’s most storied rivalries.

It is a remarkable footnote to Messi’s extraordinary career that, at 39, the player widely regarded as the greatest of all time has never previously lined up against England. He described them as a “powerhouse” ahead of the tie, and there is little doubt the match will be felt well beyond the pitch.

Argentina arrive as reigning world champions chasing something no nation has managed since Brazil in 1962: back-to-back World Cup titles. Four years ago in Qatar, many assumed Messi’s tournament would be his last, yet he helped Argentina overcome France on penalties in what many consider the greatest final ever played. Now he is lighting up another World Cup with goals, assists and moments of brilliance that continue to set him apart.

Messi is currently level with Kylian Mbappé on eight goals in the race for the Golden Boot. Mbappé holds a narrow edge on the assist tiebreaker, having provided three compared to Messi’s two. England’s Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham are both on six goals, and for the first time in FIFA World Cup history, the tournament’s top four ranked sides have all reached the semi-finals — kept apart until now by a tennis-style draw.

Critics were quick to question this Argentina squad four years ago, arguing they were far from the country’s strongest generation. They won it anyway. The same doubts have surfaced again in 2026, yet Messi’s presence continues to elevate those around him to a different level.

The evidence came in the last 16 against Egypt. Trailing 2-0 with time running out, Messi drifted to the right wing, cut inside and produced the kind of magic that turned the game. Argentina came through. It was a reminder that, while Messi is no longer the relentless 90-minute force who tormented English clubs in the Champions League — he scored 27 goals and registered six assists in 36 appearances against English opposition in that competition during his time at Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain — he has evolved into a player who saves his brilliance for the moments that matter most.

Now, with Argentina’s dream of consecutive World Cup titles on the line, the greatest player in history faces England for the very first time.