​Lionel Messi is set to face the English national men’s football team for the first time in his career during the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-finals. Over his World Cup career, Messi has lined up against European nations 19 times, recording 13 wins, two draws, and four losses in those matches, including penalty shootout outcomes. Until now, England had never been on that list, but the 2026 semi-final will provide the chance for this historic clash.
Following Argentina’s 3-1 extra-time win over Switzerland to advance to the World Cup semi-finals, Messi, who is 39, was asked about facing England for the first time. “Yes, absolutely, matches against the big national teams are always special, and I’ve never played against England before, so it will be a unique game,” he said. He noted that it is a World Cup semi-final, and that the team would now rest and prepare after a demanding run that included two extra times and another intense match.
England are back in the semi-finals for the first time since 2018, aiming to reach their first World Cup final since their sole triumph in 1966. Argentina, meanwhile, hope to become only the third nation ever to retain the World Cup, and the first to do so since Brazil in 1962. This match marks England’s and Argentina’s first encounter since a 2005 friendly, and will be the fifth meeting between the two nations in World Cup history, with the head-to-head record currently tied at 2-2.
Messi’s record against European sides is impressive, having won 13 of his 19 World Cup matches against European teams, a statistic that has often sparked debate about his standing within a “weaker” continental confederation. His four losses in these encounters include two defeats to Germany in the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, noting that Argentina’s 2006 World Cup defeat did not involve Messi since he did not play in that game. The other two losses stemmed from the same World Cup, a 3-0 group-stage defeat to Croatia followed by a 4-0 Round of 16 loss to France.
Throughout his career, Messi has accumulated multiple standout results against a range of European nations. He has produced victories against the Netherlands and Switzerland and has performed effectively against Italy, Belgium, Austria, Greece, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, and numerous others. In this ongoing World Cup journey, Messi has tallied eight goals and nine assists in these European encounters, and fans will be watching eagerly to see how he adds to that tally against England.
As the World Cup progresses, anticipation grows for what could be one of the defining chapters of Messi’s storied career. The clash with England represents not just a chance to advance to the final but also an opportunity for Messi to add another memorable chapter to his international legacy.