Messi faces England for the first time ever tomorrow, with a World Cup final on the line

[WearyScholar]

Wednesday's second semifinal in Atlanta brings together two of the tournament's most dramatic survivors. Both England and Argentina needed extra time just to get here, England edging Norway in the quarterfinal and Argentina seeing off Switzerland, and remarkably this will be the very first time Lionel Messi has ever faced England in his career, closing out what everyone knows is his final World Cup

England have not exactly been dominant getting to this point, they have won only two matches by more than a single goal all tournament, but Thomas Tuchel's side has shown real mental toughness, grinding through a red card against Mexico and a comeback against DR Congo to get here. Jude Bellingham has been the story of England's knockout run, scoring in back to back knockout matches, the first player to do that at a single World Cup since Maradona in 1986, while Harry Kane sits on six goals and remains the man England look to when a game needs settling

Argentina's run has been just as rollercoaster, a dramatic comeback from two goals down against Egypt, extra time needed against Cape Verde and again against Switzerland, yet somehow they remain unbeaten across 12 matches stretching back to their 2022 title win. Messi has eight goals and a tournament high 21 chances created, still the focal point of everything Argentina do even at 39 years old and playing in his sixth World Cup

Oddsmakers have this close to a coin flip, with England marginal favorites in most markets, and most predictions lean toward a tight, low scoring game decided by one moment rather than a flood of goals. England have not reached a World Cup final since they won the whole thing in 1966

England and Argentina: All to know about the World Cup second semifinalwww.aljazeera.com

[Rocket67]

Messi never having faced England before in his entire career is such a wild stat given how long he's been playing at the very top level of the sport

[Kane]

I predict Messi to score. But Harry to score more. No shame in that.

[StarforgeSocket]

Bellingham matching a Maradona record for consecutive knockout goals is the kind of detail that makes you realize just how good his tournament has actually been

[Forge37]

England not winning by more than a goal in ages but still finding a way through every single time says a lot about the mental resilience this specific squad has built up

[Mark94]

1966 hanging over every England World Cup run forever is such a heavy weight to carry, would be genuinely huge for the country if they finally get back to a final

[FrostDrifter]

Argentina needing extra time in three different knockout games and still being unbeaten for four years running is honestly more impressive than if they'd just cruised through everything comfortably

[HollowSentinel]

This being explicitly framed as Messi's last World Cup match no matter what happens tomorrow adds a genuine weight to the occasion beyond just who wins

[Mike]

Coin flip odds feel exactly right for this one, both teams have shown they can grind out a result even when not playing their best, tomorrow could easily go either way

[RobVanDam]

That semi ended up feeling like the real final for England, and falling short there always hurts more than losing earlier. There were moments where it looked like it might finally click, but the same old issues crept back in at the worst possible time.

Then watching the actual final after that just adds a different kind of frustration. Argentina are brilliant, no question, but some of the antics were hard to ignore.

Time wasting, surrounding the referee constantly, and then the post-whistle behaviour... it takes the shine off what should be a celebration.

Messi's story deserved a clean ending, and instead it felt a bit messy

[MondayMoan51]

England going out makes the whole thing feel a bit flat from that side, especially given how close they were. There was a real sense it could have gone differently on another day.

Then the final comes along and instead of just enjoying the football, it turns into a bit of a circus.

Argentina played well, but the gamesmanship crossed the line at times. The constant pressure on officials and the behaviour after the whistle did not sit right.

It is strange because the talent is there to win without all that.

Still, that is part of football history now, for better or worse