England's biggest match since 1966 as Three Lions close in on World Cup final
England face Argentina in the World Cup semi-final in what is their most important match since winning the 1966 final. A place in the final and six decades of rivalry are at stake.
England will play their biggest match since the 1966 World Cup final when they take on Argentina in the semi-finals on Wednesday. The Three Lions have a chance to reach their first men's World Cup final in 60 years.
England have reached two World Cup semi-finals since 1966 – in 1990 and 2018 – but this encounter carries extra weight due to a long-standing rivalry. The history between the teams includes controversial moments: the 1966 quarter-final saw Argentina captain Antonio Rattin sent off; the 1986 match featured Diego Maradona's "Hand of God" goal; in 1998, David Beckham was red-carded as Argentina won on penalties; and in 2002, Beckham scored a penalty to give England victory.
Recent near-misses for England include the 2018 semi-final loss to Croatia, the Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy on penalties, and the Euro 2024 final loss to Spain. Head coach Thomas Tuchel said: "We want to take the next step. The players are very excited."
Argentina are led by Lionel Messi, now 39, who won the World Cup in 2022. He has walked 47% of his distance covered in this tournament, the highest among outfield players. Tuchel called Messi "incredible" and highlighted his leadership.
England's hopes rest on Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane, who have scored 12 of England's 13 goals so far. Kane and Bellingham are world-class players in top form.
The match will be held at the Atlanta Stadium and kicks off at 20:00 BST.
