The second World Cup semi-final kicks off tonight in Atlanta (8pm UK time): England against Argentina, with the winner facing Spain in Sunday’s final in New York. La Roja swept France aside 2-0 on Tuesday in arguably their best performance of the tournament — whoever comes through tonight will know exactly how high the bar has been set.
England arrive on a wave of Jude Bellingham’s form. His extra-time brace sank Norway in the quarter-final and carried the Three Lions into just their fourth World Cup semi-final in history. Argentina, meanwhile, are the defending champions — they broke Switzerland’s resistance in extra time, with Julián Álvarez scoring from distance and Lautaro Martínez sealing the win late on.
There is also an individual subplot: Lionel Messi sits level with Kylian Mbappé at the top of the scoring charts on eight goals — and with France eliminated, tonight is his chance to take the outright lead in the Golden Boot race.
England v Argentina is one of football’s great rivalries — from 1986 and the Hand of God through the dramas of 1998 and 2002 — yet the two nations have never met this deep in a World Cup. That changes tonight.
The final: Sunday 19 July, New York New Jersey Stadium.