5 gamers in England’s squad will likely be assembly Lionel Messi once more in the event that they function towards Argentina on the World Cup 2026 on Wednesday.
Just one has misplaced all the video games they’ve performed towards essentially the most feared participant in soccer, whereas three have been on the successful facet in at the very least half of their encounters with him.
One of many newer members of the Three Lions’ group has already crushed Messi, securing an enormous upset shortly earlier than the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner left Paris Saint-Germain for present membership Inter Miami.
From John Stones to Harry Kane, right here’s the total file among the many gamers hoping to disclaim Messi a spot within the World Cup closing.
Lionel Messi file vs Harry Kane
Kane scored when Tottenham met Barcelona at Wembley Stadium through the Champions League group stage in 2018, however Spurs had been 2-0 behind by that point and Messi restored Barca’s two-goal cushion 4 minutes later.
One among Messi’s Argentina teammates, Erik Lamela, arrange Kane and scored himself to make the scoreline 3-2 with 24 minutes remaining, just for Messi’s Ninetieth-minute objective to seal a 4-2 win through which Kane was booked through the second half.
Tottenham, who would attain the ultimate that season, fared higher within the return match in Barcelona, though they fell behind to a seventh-minute opener by Ousmane Dembele.
Messi was substituted within the 63rd minute. In his absence, Kane arrange Lucas Moura to earn Spurs a 1-1 draw 5 minutes from time.
Lionel Messi file vs Marcus Rashford
Rashford and Messi each began as Barcelona gained at Manchester United within the Champions League quarter-finals in 2019, when former England full-back Luke Shaw’s Twelfth-minute own-goal proved the one objective.
Two quickfire Messi targets put Barcelona 2-0 forward on the evening after 20 minutes of the return match, through which Philippe Coutinho accomplished a 4-0 combination win. Rashford was substituted through the second half of each legs.
Lionel Messi file vs Jordan Henderson
Having come on two minutes beforehand for the injured Naby Keita, Henderson’s Liverpool fell behind to a Luis Suarez opener within the Champions League semi-finals in 2019.
Messi arrange one other Suarez objective and scored a late free-kick to go away many anticipating the second leg at Anfield to be a formality reasonably than one of many best comebacks within the historical past of the competitors.
With Henderson and Messi captaining their golf equipment, Liverpool swept to a sensational 4-0 win that includes two assists from Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose exclusion from England’s squad for these finals has come underneath higher scrutiny due to their issues at right-back.
Henderson broke his arm in weird circumstances after England’s last-16 win towards Mexico however was named on the bench towards Norway. Will the 36-year-old be a part of one other well-known consequence towards a Messi crew?
Lionel Messi file vs John Stones
Restored towards Norway for the primary time because the begin of the group stage, Stones gained his final assembly with the 39-year-old.
Manchester Metropolis beat PSG 2-1 at house within the Champions League group stage in 2021, recovering after an early objective from Kylian Mbappe, who shaped a part of a famous person attacking trio with Messi and Neymar.
Earlier in that marketing campaign, Stones was an unused substitute and Messi scored PSG’s second objective in a 2-0 house win.
Metropolis additionally fell behind early on at house when Messi scored for Barcelona – arrange by Neymar – through the group stage in 2016.
Pep Guardiola’s Metropolis proceeded to win 3-1, atoning for a 4-0 defeat at Camp Nou lower than two weeks earlier.
Messi scored a hat-trick earlier than establishing a Neymar objective in that match, though there have been mitigating circumstances for the margin of Metropolis’s defeat: goalkeeper Claudio Bravo was despatched off for handball within the 53rd minute, with the scoreline 1-0.
Lionel Messi file vs Djed Spence
Assume Stones’ showings towards Messi appear promising? Djed Spence has an ideal file towards him.
Messi had scored in every of PSG’s earlier three house league matches earlier than Spence confirmed up on the Ligue 1 leaders whereas on mortgage to Rennes from Spurs.
PSG had been unbeaten on the Parc des Princes within the league that season however suffered a shock 2-0 defeat to their opponents, who accomplished a double over Messi’s crew and even had the posh of taking Spence off within the 78th minute.
“An all-action efficiency that noticed him win the vast majority of his defensive duels, in addition to providing a relentless outlet for his crew’s counter-attacks,” GFFN purred on the time, calling Spence “unstoppable down the precise”.
World Cup 2026: When is England vs Argentina?
The primary aggressive assembly between the 2 international locations because the 2002 finals begins at 20:00 BST on Wednesday. Right here’s how that appears in several territories.
| Date | BST begin time | ET | PT |
| Weds, July 15 | 20:00 | 15:00 | 12:00 |
The place to look at England vs Argentina: TV channel, stay on-line stream
Within the UK, stay TV protection is on BBC One.
Streaming on an unlimited vary of units is on the market by the BBC iPlayer app and BBC Sport web site.
Supply for information: Transfermarkt
