How the last Argentina v England ended, and why Messi missed it | OneFootball

The Argentina National Team and England will write a new chapter in their legendary rivalry in the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup. This match revives a clash full of footballing and historical mystique that has not taken place in more than two decades, and it also marks the first time Lionel Messi will face the British side in his entire international career.

To find the last meeting between the two countries, we have to go back to November 12, 2005, when they played a memorable friendly at the Stade de Genève in Switzerland during a preparatory tour by the Albiceleste. On that occasion, the team led by José Pekerman displayed a high technical level based on ball possession and was ahead thanks to goals from Hernán Crespo and Walter Samuel. However, the win slipped away at the end: Wayne Rooney had scored the equalizer, and in the final minutes, Michael Owen headed in a brace in the 42nd and 47th minutes of the second half to seal the definitive 3-2 victory for the Europeans.

That afternoon in Geneva, Argentina’s starting lineup featured Roberto Abbondanzieri, Javier Zanetti, Roberto Ayala, Walter Samuel, Juan Pablo Sorín, Maximiliano Rodríguez, Martín Demichelis, Esteban Cambiasso, Juan Román Riquelme, Carlos Tevez, and Hernán Crespo, with Javier Saviola, Julio Cruz, Fabricio Coloccini, and Luis González later coming on. The notable detail from that squad is that both Ayala and Samuel now hold key roles as assistant coaches to Lionel Scaloni. As for Lionel Messi, who was just taking his first steps with the senior national team, he was unable to sign the official team sheet because he had to serve a one-match suspension following the early red card he received in his full debut against Hungary.

Likewise, the most recent precedent in a competitive match dates back to the group stage of the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup. On that occasion, Marcelo Bielsa’s team lost 1-0 to the British, a defeat that shaped Argentina’s fate and led to its first-round elimination after drawing with Sweden in the final matchday. After 24 years without an official meeting at football’s biggest stage, this Wednesday’s semifinal will represent a unique opportunity to break the unfavorable streak and secure a place in the grand final.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.