Lionel Messi will once again lead Argentina into a World Cup semi-final, with England providing unfamiliar opposition for the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, who has never faced the Three Lions in his 21 years on the international stage.
Lionel Messi is preparing to lead Argentina into the third World Cup semi-final of his illustrious career. It will also be the first time the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has reached this stage as the reigning world champion, with the Albiceleste aiming to defend the title they won in Qatar in 2022.
Despite progressing to the last four, Argentina have yet to face one of international football’s traditional heavyweights in this tournament. Lionel Scaloni’s side have overcome Algeria, Austria, Jordan, Cape Verde, Egypt and Switzerland on their route to the semi-finals. Now England stand in their way.
Argentina have not faced the Three Lions since a friendly on November 12th, 2005, when Sven-Göran Eriksson’s side came from behind to claim a 3-2 victory thanks to a late Michael Owen brace.
Messi had already made his senior debut for Argentina by then, but the former Barcelona captain missed that meeting after being sent off on his international debut against Hungary three months earlier.
As a result, Wednesday’s semi-final will mark the first time Messi has faced England at senior international level. The Three Lions, meanwhile, will be looking to spoil what is expected to be the final World Cup appearance of Argentina’s captain while booking their first World Cup final since lifting the trophy on home soil in 1966.
Among the last remaining blanks
England’s absence from Messi’s list of opponents also explains another unusual statistic: the Three Lions are one of the few national teams never to have conceded a goal to the Argentine.
Hungary, Qatar, Norway, South Korea, Greece, Republic of Ireland, Japan, Costa Rica, Sweden, Romania, Trinidad and Tobago, Belgium, Russia, Italy, Poland, Puerto Rico and Mauritania have all faced Messi at least once without seeing him find the net.
England now risk joining the far longer list of nations that have conceded against the 39-year-old, with Messi hoping to add another first to his remarkable international career while helping Argentina reach a third World Cup final during his time with the national team.
A goalscoring record spanning 45 nations
Across 205 appearances for Argentina, Messi has scored 125 international goals against 45 different national teams, underlining both his longevity and remarkable consistency on the international stage.
Unsurprisingly, the teams that have suffered most have come from South America, given the frequency with which Argentina meet their continental rivals.
Bolivia are Messi’s favourite opponents, having conceded 11 goals to him, while Ecuador and Venezuela have each shipped seven. Uruguay follow with six, while Paraguay, Chile, Estonia, Brazil, Algeria and Guatemala have all conceded five to complete the top 10.
Panama and Mexico have each been on the receiving end of four Messi goals, while Croatia, Nigeria, France, Peru, Curaçao, Haiti, Colombia and Switzerland have all conceded three.
Nicaragua, Spain, Australia, Austria, Honduras, Hong Kong and Jamaica have each seen Messi score twice against them.
Saudi Arabia, Portugal, Canada, Serbia and Montenegro, Egypt, Iceland, the United Arab Emirates, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the United States, Germany, Albania, Angola, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Cape Verde, Iran, Jordan and Zambia complete the list of nations that have conceded at least once to Argentina’s all-time leading scorer.
Messi’s international goals by opponent
11: Bolivia
7: Ecuador, Venezuela
6: Uruguay
5: Paraguay, Chile, Estonia, Brazil, Algeria, Guatemala
4: Panama, Mexico
3: Croatia, Nigeria, France, Peru, Curaçao, Haiti, Colombia, Switzerland
2: Nicaragua, Spain, Australia, Austria, Honduras, Hong Kong, Jamaica
1: Saudi Arabia, Portugal, Canada, Serbia and Montenegro, Egypt, Iceland, United Arab Emirates, Bosnia and Herzegovina, United States, Germany, Albania, Angola, Netherlands, Slovenia, Cape Verde, Iran, Jordan, Zambia.
