​Best Messi props vs England: Trade World Cup props markets on Kalshi originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Lionel Messi has been the undisputed star of the FIFA World Cup 2026, and he takes center stage once again when Argentina faces England in the semifinal at Atlanta Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:00 pm ET, with a spot in the World Cup final on the line, and traders on Kalshi prediction markets have a golden opportunity to capitalize on Messi’s dominant tournament form through player prop markets. Follow along for a detailed breakdown of the best Messi props vs England to trade on prediction markets for the World Cup semifinal.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementNew users can sign up here with the Kalshi promo code TSN15 and unlock a $15 bonus after making $15 in trades.Messi enters this semifinal as the tournament’s leading scorer with 8 goals in 6 matches, a 100% scoring rate that makes his prop markets some of the most compelling on the board. Argentina is riding a 13-match winning streak and has scored in every single one, while England has conceded 5 of their 6 goals in the first half this World Cup. That defensive vulnerability lines up perfectly with Messi’s early-match explosiveness, giving prop traders a clear statistical edge to exploit.Messi’s statistical profile this World Cup is staggering. Through six matches, the Argentine captain has:AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement8 goals: leading the entire tournament2 assists: adding playmaking value on top of his scoring16 shots on target: the most of any player in the competition9 shots off target and 7 shots blocked: demonstrating his high volume of attacking involvement28 corner kicks taken: serving as Argentina’s primary set-piece takerFor context, Messi has more goals than England’s top two scorers, Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, who each have six. He’s essentially been a one-man wrecking crew, accounting for 8 of Argentina’s 17 tournament goals (47% of their total output).Check out these Lionel Messi prop picks vs England in the World Cup semifinalThis is the marquee prop for traders looking to back Messi’s red-hot form. At 41% implied probability, the market is pricing this below a coin flip, but the underlying data tilts heavily in Messi’s favor:AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementScoring rate: Messi has scored in 6 of 6 matches this tournament, averaging 1.33 goals per game.Shot volume: With 16 shots on target in six games, he’s averaging 2.67 shots on target per match. That’s elite-level shot generation that consistently creates scoring opportunities.England’s defensive vulnerability: England has conceded five of their six total goals in the first half. This maps perfectly against Messi and Argentina, who win the first half in 86% of their matches. Argentina’s early-match dominance could expose England’s shaky early defending.Historical context: Argentina has scored at least one goal in 13 co