Lionel Messi has faced nearly every major football nation during his extraordinary international career, but one notable opponent has always been missing from his résumé—England. Despite representing Argentina for more than two decades and playing over 200 international matches, the legendary forward has never taken on the Three Lions. As Argentina prepare to face England in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinal, that long-standing anomaly is finally set to end.

Lionel Messi set to play his first match against England

The absence of a Messi vs England clash is largely due to the structure of international football. Argentina and England belong to different confederations—CONMEBOL and UEFA—meaning they rarely meet outside the FIFA World Cup or international friendlies.

With both teams occupied by World Cup qualifiers, continental tournaments and packed club schedules, arranging friendlies has become increasingly difficult over the years. As a result, Argentina and England have had very few chances to face each other since Messi made his senior debut in 2005.

Why Lionel Messi never faced England?

Even at the FIFA World Cup, the two football giants have never met during Messi’s career. Although both nations have regularly qualified for the tournament, they either exited at different stages or were placed on opposite sides of the knockout bracket, preventing a direct showdown.

Throughout his international journey, Messi has played against several European powerhouses, including Germany, France, the Netherlands and Croatia. England, however, has remained the one major opponent missing from that list.

The wait is finally over as Argentina and England are set to meet in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinal. The match will mark Messi’s first-ever senior international appearance against England and add a fresh chapter to one of football’s greatest rivalries. It also revives a fixture steeped in World Cup history, following memorable encounters between the two nations in 1966, 1986, 1998 and 2002.

For Messi, the semifinal is more than just another knockout match. It presents a chance to tick off one of the final milestones in his remarkable international career while guiding Argentina in pursuit of another World Cup final.