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 international career during a high-stakes World Cup semi-final. The match carries historical weight, drawing comparisons to Diego Maradona's iconic 1986 performance against the Three Lions.
Why it matters
This match represents a rare milestone for one of football's greatest players and reignites one of the sport's most storied international rivalries.
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.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.Ninety seconds later he was sent off for what the referee saw as an elbow.
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