Messi will have his first clash against England and completes the list of world champions faced By Thiago Lemos
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This Wednesday, July 15, 2026, the Argentina team will face England in a highly anticipated clash for the semifinals of the World Cup, which takes place in Atlanta. The match, considered a global classic, will feature extensive live broadcast coverage.
This meeting will mark an unprecedented occasion for star Lionel Messi, who will face the British team for the first time in his professional career. Despite having already achieved all possible titles in football, the player expressed that this duel has a “special” meaning for him, given the importance of his opponent.
“It’s a special match. It’s my first time. I’ve played against everyone except England. It’s special because it’s a big team, a powerhouse and it’s always beautiful to play a match like that, in a semi-final”, said the Argentine striker. The statement was made after his team’s victory over Switzerland in the quarterfinals, held in Kansas City.
The last game between the two teams took place in a friendly on November 12, 2005, when England won 3-2. At that time, Messi was in his first moments in the Barcelona first team and was not called up for the match.
When taking the field against the English, Argentina’s number 10 will reach an impressive milestone: he will have faced all the world champion teams in professional level matches, excluding clashes in the youth categories or Olympic Games. A detailed statistical survey reveals the star’s performance against each of these powers.
The Argentine star’s retrospect against world powers
- Brazil: 14 games, 6 wins, 2 draws, 6 losses, 5 goals
- Uruguay: 13 games, 8 wins, 3 draws, 2 losses, 6 goals, 3 assists
- Germany: 4 games, 2 wins, 2 losses, 1 goal
- France: 3 games, 1 win, 1 draw, 1 loss, 3 goals, 2 assists
- Spain: 3 games, 1 win, 2 losses, 2 goals
- Italy: 1 game, 1 win, 2 assists
The duel between Argentina and England will be held on Wednesday, at 4pm (Brasília time), at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, in Atlanta. The team that emerges victorious will face the qualifier between France and Spain, who face each other this Tuesday, also at 4pm, at AT&T Stadium, in Dallas.
