A 20 year wait is over! from Maradona’s 1986 magic to Messi’s first England test

15.07.26 FT World Cup

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Argentina

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Lionel Messi will face England for the first time in his international career this Wednesday in a blockbuster World Cup semi final.

Despite a sprawling, two-decade career at the absolute pinnacle of global football, England has remained the solitary heavyweight nation completely untouched by Lionel Messi. The 39 year old captain has remarkably never shared a pitch with the Three Lions, failing to cross paths in official tournaments, international friendlies or even during his formative years in Argentina's youth ranks.

That historical anomaly will finally shatter this Wednesday at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta converting a long awaited fantasy fixture into a high stakes battle for a spot in the World Cup Final.

Read Also: Fourteen managers gone: How the 48 team World Cup triggered a historic coaching massacre

Echoes of 1986 & Fan Desires

An Argentina vs England knockout fixture is fundamentally incapable of being treated as just another football match. The rivalry is deeply rooted in the sport's cultural folklore, most famously ignited by the legendary 1986 World Cup quarter final in Mexico.

There, Diego Armando Maradona single-handedly orchestrated a 2-1 victory, cementing his immortality with the infamous "Hand of God" followed immediately by the "Goal of the Century"..

The desire to revive this classic rivalry has been burning intensely within the South American fanbase for years. In a massive online poll conducted in 2024 by Argentine sports network TyC Sports, over 40,000 readers overwhelmingly selected England as the premier European heavyweight they most desperately wanted to see La Albiceleste face. While fans initially envisioned a glamorous friendly, reality has delivered a far grander stage.

The Ghost of Geneva 2005

The closest Messi ever came to experiencing this historic rivalry firsthand was nearly 21 year ago. On 12 November 2005, Argentina and England clashed in a memorable international friendly in Geneva, Switzerland.

A fresh faced, 18 year old Messi travelled with the senior squad but was forced to watch the entire spectacle unfold from the luxury boxes. The teenage prodigy was serving an automatic suspension following his disastrous international debut against Hungary where he was infamously shown a straight red card just moments after stepping onto the pitch.

From the stands, Messi witnessed a classic five goal thriller:

• The Blueprint: Hernán Crespo and Roberto Ayala twice put the South Americans ahead
  
• The Counter: Wayne Rooney struck an equalizer to keep the English alive
  
• The Sting: Forward Michael Owen executed a breathtaking, 5 minute blitz late in the match scoring twice to snatch a dramatic 3-2 victory for England

Khaled Hegazy |

Editorar, en

Journaliste sportif spécialisé dans la couverture du football et la création de contenu numérique, alliant expérience éditoriale et expertise des médias sociaux.

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