The 2026 World Cup has produced a semifinal lineup not seen since 1990: four former champions — Argentina, Spain, France and England — all of whom entered the tournament as the top four ranked teams in the world. Argentina will face England in Atlanta on Wednesday, while France meets Spain in Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday, in matchups that carry decades of history behind them.

Argentina and England's rivalry runs well beyond the pitch, still colored by the 1982 conflict over the Falkland Islands. On the field, the two nations have produced some of the World Cup's most contentious moments. Argentina captain Antonio Rattín, whose death was announced Saturday, was sent off in a bitterly contested 1966 quarterfinal against the eventual champions, with England manager Alf Ramsey trying afterward to stop his players from swapping jerseys with their rivals. Twenty years later came Diego Maradona's infamous "Hand of God" goal, which helped Argentina to a 2-1 quarterfinal win in 1986 en route to the title. David Beckham was sent off in 1998 for kicking Argentine midfielder Diego Simeone, who was criticized by the English press for reacting dramatically to what appeared to be minor contact, in a match Argentina went on to win on penalties. Four years later, Beckham got his revenge with a penalty goal that helped eliminate Argentina at the group stage.

This time, the rivalry resumes with Lionel Messi playing what could be his final World Cup at age 39, facing England for the first time in his career. Should Argentina win the title, Messi would surpass Diego Maradona by claiming two World Cups for his country, and Argentina would become the first nation to win consecutive titles since Pelé's Brazil in 1958 and 1962. Standing in the way will be Harry Kane, who has six goals in the tournament, four fewer than Messi's tournament-leading eight, a tally he shares with Kylian Mbappé.

In the tournament's other semifinal, France and Spain meet again just two years after facing off at Euro 2024, when Spain won 2-1 behind a then-16-year-old Lamine Yamal, in a match where Mbappé played with a fractured nose. This time, France arrives as one of the tournament's most feared sides, with Mbappé leading the scoring charts and Ousmane Dembélé adding five goals of his own, while Spain has leaned on late goals from substitute Mikel Merino to overcome injuries to Yamal and fellow winger Nico Williams early in the competition.

The race for the Golden Boot remains wide open too. Mbappé and Messi are tied atop the scoring table with eight goals apiece, while Erling Haaland is out of contention with seven after Norway's quarterfinal elimination, and Jude Bellingham and Kane sit on six each. Messi also holds a slim lead in career World Cup goals with 21, with Mbappé close behind on 20, a race that could be decided in these very semifinals.

Source: AP