World Cup 2026: What to expect from semi-finals including Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal, Jude Bellingham and Lionel Messi

England v Argentina, Atlanta Stadium, Wednesday 20:00 BST

What to watch out for: This will be England’s second World Cup semi-final since 2018, but defending champions Argentina stand in the Three Lions’ way of a first appearance in the final in 60 years.

It’s a fixture fraught with passion and rivalry – falling 40 years after Diego Maradona almost single-handedly dumped England out in the quarter-final stage in Mexico.

This time, Argentina have another superstar number 10 in their ranks. Lionel Messi has never faced England, and what bigger stage to do so for the first time than in a World Cup semi-final.

Messi, who became the World Cup’s all-time top goalscorer this tournament, currently leads the Golden Boot race alongside France’s Kylian Mbappe, with both on eight goals.

But England have their own iconic 10 in Jude Bellingham, who has scored twice in each of their past two knockout games – the first player to achieve such a feat since Maradona in 1986 – while captain Harry Kane is level with his team-mate on six goals so far this summer.

Neither nation have really been at their free-flowing peak so far this World Cup, battling and scrapping to victories in the knockout stages to reach this point.

It would not be a surprise to see Wednesday’s meeting also reduced to a battle of passionate wills, even if Thomas Tuchel has demanded his side show more quality than they did in the quarter-final win over Norway.

Key stats: England have reached the semi-finals in four major tournaments since 2018 – as many as they reached in their history prior to the 2018 World Cup.

The Three Lions have won four consecutive World Cup games, their longest winning run within a single edition since 1966.

Tuchel is only the second England manager to go unbeaten in his first six World Cup games in charge – the previous was Alf Ramsey in 1966, who had the exact same record after six matches (won five, drawn one).

Argentina have reached the World Cup last four for the third time in the past four editions – 2014, 2022, 2026. Prior to 2014, they hadn’t reached the semi-final since 1990.

How to follow: Watch on BBC One and iPlayer, listen to full Radio 5 Live commentary on BBC Sounds and follow live text updates on the BBC Sport website and app.