Watch a rivalry renewed in Atlanta as England face Argentina for the first time in more than two decades.
The defending champions have won all five of their previous
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England have been forced to dig deep to reach this stage, though for a variety of reasons. Against Mexico, they felt decisions went against them but responded with a heroic defensive effort to keep their campaign alive.
Their performance against Norway, however, raised more concerns, with Tuchel describing it as “sloppy” and “lucky”. The German knows England cannot afford another display like that against Argentina.
Bellingham almost single-handedly dragged his side through the game and will hope for more support this time around. Kane will be desperate to add to his tally of six goals, while the return to full fitness of Reece James, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka could prove crucial.
Argentina, meanwhile, have found a way through despite a less-than-convincing route to the semi-finals. Supporters and players alike will care little about their performances if they can extend their remarkable record in the last four.
Lionel Scaloni’s side have survived a hat-trick of scares in the knockout stages but have repeatedly found a way to keep their title defence on track. Winning has become a habit for this team, with 13 consecutive victories underlining their relentless consistency.
They have already scored 17 goals at this tournament, including three in each of their last four matches. England know the threat extends far beyond Lionel Messi. Lautaro Martinez remains a constant danger, while Julian Alvarez’s stunning strike against Switzerland was another reminder of the quality Argentina possess.
England vs Argentina: Q+A
What time does England vs Argentina kick-off?
England vs Argentina will start at 8:00pm BST / 3:00pm ET / 12:00pm PT and 5:00am AEST on Thursday in Australia.
Have England and Argentina met at the World Cup before?
Of course. This is one of the most storied rivalries in World Cup history, with the two countries meeting five times at the tournament. England have won three of those encounters (1962, 1966 and 2002), while Argentina have won twice (1986 and 1998).
FourFourTwo’s prediction
England 2-2 Argentina
Goals feel like a guarantee and there’ll be little to separate the two sides. FourFourTwo thinks it will take penalties to find a winner.
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