Explained: Why Lionel Messi has never played vs England in his career before FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final?
(Courtesy : Getty)
Lionel Messi will play his first game against England in tonight’s semi-final.
Lionel Messi has been in exceptional form for Argentina in the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026. The 39-year-old has scored eight goals to lead the goalscoring charts, firing the defending champions to the semi-finals, where they are scheduled to face England at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
Interestingly, this will mark Messi’s first-ever international clash against the Three Lions. The Inter Miami forward has 205 international caps for La Albiceleste, scoring 125 goals. However, none of those caps has come against England, which is an astonishing statistic.
The talismanic forward will be key for his nation tonight as they aim to become only the third team to successfully defend their World Cup title.
Also Read: Argentina starting lineup vs England confirmed
Explaining Messi’s non-appearance against England
The only occasion where Messi could have faced the Three Lions was in a friendly clash at Stade de Geneve in Switzerland on November 11, 2005.
Messi had made his senior debut for La Albiceleste in August that year in a friendly against Hungary, but it did not end on a positive note.
Coming on in the second half, he saw his debut cut short after a solitary minute when he was sent off for elbowing Vilmos Vanczak in the face. The Hungarian defender tried to pull Messi back, but the then-Barcelona youngster retaliated, earning a straight red card.
Even though he played in the next three FIFA World Cup qualifiers for La Albiceleste, even registering an assist against Paraguay, he had to serve an automatic one-match suspension in the following friendly match, which was coincidentally against the Three Lions.
That red card remains the only red card the forward has been shown for either club or country since, with Messi crafting an image as one of the most respectful players in world football.
When will Lionel Messi play vs England for first time?
Messi will face England for the first time ever in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi‑final on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, at Mercedes‑Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
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Sushruta has spent over two years covering football, with a particular focus on Indian and international competitions. Alongside football, he has reported on a variety of sports, bringing curiosity and perspective to every story. When he’s not following the action, he can usually be found binge-watching movies or getting lost in a good book.