World Cup 2026: Lionel Messi set for first meeting with England

There are very few things Lionel Messi has not done on a football pitch.

But the semi-final meeting between Argentina and England at 20:00 BST on Wednesday in Atlanta, live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, will provide the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner with an altogether new experience.

Despite making more than 200 appearances and scoring 125 goals for Argentina, Messi has never faced the Three Lions.

It looked for a spell that the 39-year-old may be denied his first meeting with England when Switzerland held the momentum in Saturday’s quarter-final – but Argentina eventually ran out 3-1 winners in extra time.

Messi failed to score for the first time this tournament in that victory, though he still leads the Golden Boot race alongside France’s Kylian Mbappe having scored eight times, and is the World Cup’s all-time leading goalscorer.

“England can outrun Argentina but they just have that little genius Messi. They all play for him. Everyone should be excited,” said BBC pundit Micah Richards.

“Marking him is impossible because he doesn’t run back. He goes into little spaces where he shouldn’t really be. He switches on at the right times [and] he’s got the best technique. His spatial awareness is fantastic. He’s got a great shot.

“Most importantly, he’s got what Jude’s [Bellingham] got and that’s what makes Jude so great, he’s got personality and aura.

“Messi has the most aura out of any footballer. Messi’s aura is just next level, so it’s going to be interesting.”

How much should England fear the Inter Miami forward?

“I think Thomas Tuchel and the England players will be relishing the prospect of playing this Argentina team in its current guise, its current form, because this isn’t a great Argentina team but they do have a habit of finding a way,” said Chris Sutton on BBC Radio 5 Live.

On BBC Sport, former England striker Wayne Rooney said that while Messi makes little contribution defensively he can define games with quality in the key moments.

“He can be a weakness defensively for Argentina,” Rooney said.

“He doesn’t run back, but he has big moments a bit like with Jude Bellingham. He has big moments and moments of quality. The thing with Messi is his decision-making – he comes to life in moments of the game and he makes the right decision.

“Marking Lionel Messi is about concentration and communication. Communicating with your team-mates about picking up positions you might not usually pick up.”

The match against England is the semi-final Argentina wanted, South American football expert Tim Vickery told 5 Live.

“Lionel Messi couldn’t possibly end an international career, over 200 matches, without playing the team that Argentina fans see as their biggest rival,” Vickery said.

“During the second half, the fans were bouncing up and down singing ‘he who doesn’t jump is an Englishman’. You’ll be hearing a lot, lot more of that on Wednesday.”