'Everyone should be excited': Did you know Messi has never faced England?
Lionel Messi is set to face England for the first time in his career during a World Cup semifinal match in Atlanta. Despite a storied international career, Messi has never played against the English side, making this upcoming clash a highly anticipated event for soccer fans.
Why it matters
This match represents a historic milestone in the career of one of the world's most famous athletes, drawing significant global media attention to the tournament.
Reuters, Kansas city PHOTO: REUTERS Lionel Messi has spent over two decades carving a path through international soccer, facing every World Cup-winning nation from Brazil to France, but one notable opponent has always been missing from the list: England.
That will change on Thursday [1am, Bangladesh Time] when Argentina meet the European side in a World Cup semifinal in Atlanta, a heavyweight clash that Argentina's FA (AFA) described on its website as "the match fate owed Messi."
The 39-year-old Messi has played Brazil, Uruguay, Germany, Italy, Spain and France during his career, yet never crossed paths with England.
The closest he came was a friendly in Geneva in November 2005, the last time the two sides faced each other.
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