It is an astonishing quirk that England and Lionel Messi of Argentina have never met in a senior international match.
Five previous World Cups have gone by, and ever-tighter schedules have chipped away at the possibility of a friendly. Just four years ago, England came within a penalty shoot-out of earning a Wembley showdown with Argentina. Through a combination of suspensions, unfavourable tournament draws and untimely eliminations, fate has somehow kept them apart.
That finally changes on Wednesday, when England face Argentina in an eagerly anticipated World Cup semifinal. Before the heavyweight clash, ESPN looks back at the near misses and missed opportunities that delayed Messi from facing his biggest remaining international opponent.
The last meeting: Geneva, 2005
England and Argentina's most recent meeting came not at a World Cup, but in a friendly in Switzerland on Nov. 12, 2005. Michael Owen scored twice in the final four minutes to complete a dramatic 3-2 comeback after Hernán Crespo and Walter Samuel had twice given Argentina the lead. It remains the last time the countries shared a pitch.
The match was also supposed to mark Lionel Messi's first appearance against England. Instead, the then-18-year-old missed out while serving a one-match suspension carried over from the red card he was shown on his senior international debut three months earlier.
Having come on as a substitute against Hungary in another friendly, Messi was remarkably sent off under a minute after taking the pitch for a high elbow on Vilmos Vanczak, who pursued the Argentine as he dribbled towards goal.
World Cup, Germany 2006
England progressed through Group B unbeaten before beating Ecuador 1-0 in the round of 16. Their campaign ended in the quarterfinals, where they lost on penalties to Portugal after Wayne Rooney's sending off.
It was Lionel Messi's first World Cup. The 18-year-old announced himself with a goal and an assist against Serbia and Montenegro before Argentina beat Mexico after extra time to reach the quarterfinals.
Argentina's tournament also ended on penalties against hosts Germany on the other side of the bracket.
The twin results ended the slim hopes of the two rivals meeting in the final.
World Cup, South Africa 2010
England laboured through the group stage before suffering a heavy 4-1 defeat to Germany in the round of 16, in the match remembered for Frank Lampard's "ghost goal" -- and had that one stood, the Three Lions may have met Messi in the next round.
Messi arrived in South Africa chasing his first great World Cup. He failed to score in this edition, however, and the Argentines fell 4-0 to Germany in the quarterfinals.
If only England had beaten Germany in that controversial match in Bloemfontein, they would have taken on a 23-year-old Messi in the last eight.
World Cup, Brazil 2014
The Three Lions endured one of the worst tournaments in their history, crashing out in the group stage after defeats to Italy and Uruguay before drawing with Costa Rica.
As England flew home early, Messi produced perhaps his finest World Cup to date. Four goals in the group stage helped Argentina reach the knockout rounds before they edged Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands to reach the final.
Argentina were ultimately beat by Germany again in the showpiece event as the wait for England to face Messi went on.
- Argentina scouting report: How can England stop Lionel Messi and co. in the World Cup semifinal?
- Which Argentina players aside from Messi and familiar Premier League faces will threaten England?
- Lionel Messi ready for 'special' World Cup semifinal vs 'powerhouse'
World Cup, Russia 2018
England enjoyed their best World Cup for nearly three decades, beating Colombia on penalties before overcoming Sweden to reach the semifinals for the first time since 1990.
Messi's tournament, meanwhile, never truly ignited. Argentina scraped through the group stage before being knocked out by eventual champions France in the round of 16.
The two countries were on opposite sides of the bracket, which would have made the final the only possible opportunity for a meeting.
World Cup, Qatar 2022
England topped their group and comfortably beat Senegal to reach the quarterfinals, where Harry Kane's missed late penalty contributed to a 2-1 defeat against France.
On the other side of the draw, Messi finally won football's greatest prize. He inspired Argentina past Australia, the Netherlands and Croatia before lifting the World Cup after an unforgettable final against France.
Because England and Argentina were placed in opposite halves of the knockout bracket, they could only have met in the final. England's defeat to France denied any prospect of Kane duelling with Messi for the biggest prize in football.
Finalissima, Wembley 2022
England had an opportunity to face Messi at Wembley even without meeting Argentina at a World Cup. Victory over Italy in the Euro 2020 final, played in July 2021, would have made Gareth Southgate's side European champions and qualified them for the following year's Finalissima against the Copa América winners.
Argentina had secured their place by beating Brazil in the 2021 Copa América final, giving Messi his first senior international trophy. England led Italy through an early Luke Shaw goal at Wembley, but eventually lost on penalties. Italy, therefore, returned to the stadium to face Argentina in June 2022, when Messi inspired a dominant 3-0 victory and was named Player of the Match. England's shootout defeat had inadvertently denied them the chance to face the Argentina and Barcelona legend on home soil.
England came close again three years later, reaching the Euro 2024 final before losing 2-1 to Spain. Had England won, they would have qualified to face Argentina, the 2024 Copa América champions, in the 2026 Finalissima. This time, however, the missed opportunity proved academic: the planned Spain-Argentina match was subsequently cancelled after the organisers were unable to settle on a workable date.
