England vs Argentina, Atlanta Stadium, Wednesday 20:00 BST
What to watch out for: England are in a World Cup semi-final for the second time since 2018, but holders Argentina stand between the Three Lions and a first final in 60 years. The matchup brims with history and intensity, coming 40 years after Diego Maradona’s exploits knocked England out in Mexico. This time, Argentina’s iconic No. 10 is Lionel Messi, set for his first-ever meeting with England on the grandest stage of a World Cup semi-final. Messi, who became the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer at this tournament, shares the Golden Boot lead with France’s Kylian Mbappé on eight goals. England have their own talismanic No. 10 in Jude Bellingham, who has scored twice in each of the last two knockout games—something not seen since Maradona in 1986—while captain Harry Kane is level with him on six this summer. Neither side has consistently hit top gear, grinding through the knockouts, and Wednesday could be another battle of wills, even as Thomas Tuchel has called for more quality than shown in the quarter-final win over Norway.
Key stats: – England have reached the semi-finals of four major tournaments since 2018—matching their total from before the 2018 World Cup. – The Three Lions have won four straight World Cup matches, their longest single-edition run since 1966. – Tuchel is only the second England manager to go unbeaten in his first six World Cup games, mirroring Alf Ramsey’s 1966 start (five wins, one draw). – Argentina are in the World Cup last four for the third time in the past four editions (2014, 2022, 2026); before 2014, their previous semi-final was in 1990.
How to follow: – Watch on BBC One and iPlayer – Listen to full Radio 5 Live commentary on BBC Sounds – Follow live text on the BBC Sport website and app