Messi Meets England at Last with World Cup Final Place on the Line
Lionel Messi is set to face England for the first time in his career during a World Cup semi-final match in Atlanta. The 39-year-old Argentinian star, who has played at the highest level since 2005, views the match as a significant milestone against a major footballing nation.
Why it matters
This match marks a historic first encounter between one of the greatest players in history and a perennial football powerhouse on the world's biggest stage.
Lionel Messi has done just about everything possible in a glorious career, but the 39-year-old Argentinian great has never taken on England -- he will finally get the chance in Wednesday's World Cup semi-final.
Messi won his 200th cap for the Albiceleste in the group-stage victory against Algeria and dreams of leading his country to the final once again, said AFP.
The diminutive playmaker is surely in the final days of a remarkable international career which began when he was a fresh-faced 18-year-old in 2005.
Having broken into the Barcelona team late the previous year, Messi had just starred for Argentina as they won the Under-20 World Cup in the Netherlands.
He was handed his Argentina bow by Jose Pekerman in a friendly against Hungary in Budapest that August, replacing Lisandro Lopez in the 64th minute and joining Hernan Crespo up front.
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