Messi and Bellingham, the duel that defines the semifinal

ATLANTA, EU.- The history between Argentina and England adds a new chapter. This time, the event is in the World Cup semifinals and a ticket to the final is at stake. Lionel Scaloni, Argentine coach, tried to tone down: “it’s just a soccer game.”

But the weight of the antecedents says otherwise.

Rivalry that transcends

The confrontation is loaded with memorable episodes. From the expulsion of Antonio Rattín and the gesture towards the English pennant in 1966, to the “Hand of God” and Maradona’s “goal of the century” in Mexico 1986. Then came the clash between Simeone and Beckham in France 1998, and the Argentine elimination in English hands in 2002. All of this marked by the context of the Falklands conflict.

It will be the sixth time that both teams meet in a World Cup, and the first in the semifinals. Atlanta will be the setting.

The voices of the protagonists

Thomas Tuchel, English strategist, declared:

“It is a great rivalry between two great football nations, everyone knows about this relationship and what it brings, so we expect an intense and emotional match.”

Scaloni, true to his measured style, added:

“We are still hopeful and grateful to these players who have once again led us to play in the World Cup semi-final. We will face a great rival and I hope we have the chance to advance.”

The match promises strong emotions, beyond sports. The fans of both sides know that this is not just any game.

Start of Apertura 2026

The Caliente Stadium will be the scene of the first duel of the season. Xolos de Tijuana and Tigres de la UANL face each other this Thursday on Matchday 1. Both teams seek to return to the top of Mexican soccer.

Reinforcements for the campaign

Xolos opted for Venezuelan striker Josef Martínez to strengthen their attack. He also got midfielder Kevin Balanta back. Gilberto Mora, a young promise, renewed his contract for three more years.

Tigres, for its part, added Argentine defender Alan Franco, although he will not be available yet. The board continues negotiating with River Plate for the transfer of Ángel Correa, without a definitive agreement.

Contrasted preseason

Sebastián Abreu’s team drew 2-2 against the El Salvador National Team and lost 1-0 against LAFC of the MLS.

Tigres, led by Guido Pizarro, achieved a victory (2-0) over Santiago FC, a draw (2-2) with San Diego FC and a defeat (2-0) against Cartaginés of Costa Rica.

Leaves and absences

In the feline squad, Juan Pablo Vigón and Marco Farfán are suffering from muscle discomfort. Francisco Reyes is serving a sanction for expulsion in the previous tournament.

Favorable history for Tigres

Of 33 confrontations, Tigres has 19 victories. However, Xolos has won three of the last four home games.

The match is scheduled for 9:10 p.m., central Mexico time.

Mbappé takes the blame

French forward Kylian Mbappé will not play in his third consecutive World Cup final. His team lost 2-0 to Spain in the semifinals of the tournament.

“As captain, I have to take full responsibility. I have no problem with that,” Mbappé declared. “We wanted to go to the final and we didn’t make it.”

Mbappé remains tied with Lionel Messi in the fight for the Golden Boot, with eight goals each. Messi and Argentina face England in the other semifinal.

“In the end, you get all the glory when you win. When you don’t win… it’s part of the game,” added the Frenchman.

France will face the loser of that matchup in the third-place match on Saturday in Miami Gardens, Florida. Spain will play the final in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Mbappé had little influence on the match. In the first half he registered only 15 touches, the fewest among the attackers. His most notable play was trying to convince the referee to annul the penalty that led to the first Spanish goal.

His best chance came in the 67th minute, when his shot deflected off defender Marc Cucurella and went just wide. By then, France was already losing 2-0.

“Spain is a team that loves control of the game and the ball. That’s what we allowed them to do. We gave the midfield too much time to play and, in the end, they had the quality to do it. Against Spain, it’s difficult when you don’t change their game. We weren’t at the level that would allow us to reach the final,” Mbappé explained.

The 27-year-old Frenchman received a yellow card in the 86th minute after colliding with Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simón.

Mbappé started in the semifinal after being substituted in the quarterfinals against Morocco, where he scored his eighth goal of the tournament. Four years earlier, in Qatar, he also scored eight goals, although France lost the final to Argentina on penalties.