By Opta Analyst | Created at 2026-07-18 17:28:12 | Updated at 2026-08-02 19:41:19
2 weeks ago
Now that Opta has detailed data on the World Cup going back to 1966, we can reveal insights from historical meetings between England and Argentina that only fuel the rivalry further.
It’s a reflection of how long it’s been since England played Argentina in any capacity that Wednesday’s World Cup semi-final will be Lionel Messi’s first appearance in this fixture.
The Argentina great made his international debut in August 2005 and has played more than 200 times for his country since, but has never faced England. He might have played the last time they met, in a November 2005 friendly, but he was suspended, having bizarrely been sent off less than a minute after coming off the bench for his Argentina debut just a few months earlier. He has not had another chance to play England as they have not faced off in the 21 years since, until now.
This is a rivalry steeped in history. That aforementioned friendly epitomised how important it is to both teams to get one over the other: an epic encounter played in Geneva was won 3-2 by England after two late goals from Michael Owen. The late turnaround was celebrated wildly, even though it was essentially a meaningless encounter.
The teams of the past are used to facing each other regularly, though. In the 11 World Cups between 1962 and 2002, the two sides faced off five times, but did not meet once in the five tournaments leading up to 2026.
The stakes, the results, and the many, many on-field controversies over the years were enough to forge a fierce rivalry, but the competition was only heightened by political tensions between the nations.
The Falklands War, fought in 1982 over the Falkland Islands, which are situated just off the Argentine coast in the South Atlantic Ocean, stoked matters on both sides of the argument. Argentina fans still reference the war in some of their chants at games, and some players have even been filmed joining in with those songs.
The first World Cup meeting came in the 1962 group stage, when England won an uneventful game with relative ease, going three goals up before a late Argentina consolation. But things truly got going four years later – long before the Falklands War – to lay the foundations for a historic footballing rivalry.
England 1-0 Argentina, Quarter-Final, 1966
England and Argentina met at Wembley in the quarter-final of the 1966 tournament, which is the first World Cup Opta have since been able to analyse in full. That means we can now reveal data from that game that shows just how fiercely fought it was.
Only 13 matches in Opta’s World Cup history books (since 1966) have seen more fouls than this meeting between England and Argentina (56). It was a tempestuous and disjointed affair, low on quality, with shots constantly taken from distance – shown in how low the xG was for both teams – and broken up constantly by free-kicks.
The biggest flashpoint came late in the first half, when referee Rudolf Kreitlein’s patience ran out with the persistent fouling and dissent of Argentine captain Antonio Rattin. After a succession of warnings, Kreitlein gave the midfielder his marching orders, but Rattin refused to leave the pitch, claiming he did not understand the German referee.
Chaos ensued, and a police escort was needed to remove Rattin from the pitch. The incident is said to have been a large part of the reason that yellow and red cards were introduced into the game to reduce the chances of any such confusion.
In total, the game was delayed by 25 minutes and seven seconds for free-kicks alone, which was nearly eight minutes longer than any other game at the 1966 tournament, and is the 11th longest at World Cups since. Many of the games that have seen longer delays came in the VAR era.
England moaned about Argentina’s underhand tactics after – things like pulling the hair on the back of their neck and spitting – but England committed 36 of the 56 fouls, the ninth highest tally by a team in a game on record in the World Cup. These numbers might miss out unpunished foul play, of which there may have been plenty, but it’s a high enough total to show England clearly weren’t innocent in making this an intensely scrappy game.
Geoff Hurst scored the only goal of the game, heading in a cross from Martin Peters in the 77th minute.
Argentina 2-1 England, Quarter-Final, 1986
In World Cup history, 3,012 goals have been scored. One stands out as the most controversial of the lot. You all know exactly which goal we’re talking about.
In Opta’s World Cup record books (since 1966), only 11 goals have been scored with body parts other than the feet or head. Diego Maradona scored one of those goals, rising above England goalkeeper Peter Shilton to punch the ball into the net with the ‘Hand of God’.
Of the many incidents that have inflamed this rivalry – both on and off the pitch – this is quite possibly the one that angers English fans the most. Maradona set Argentina on their way to victory in Mexico City by – let’s call it what it was – cheating.
This game came four years after the Falklands War, so tensions were already heightened going into the tie, but Maradona’s act left England incandescent.
The truth is, though, that while England think of it as one of football’s great injustices, Argentina were the far better side. They were out of sight by the time England showed any signs of life; they’d had only four attempts on goal when Maradona put Argentina 2-0 up 10 minutes into the second half. Gary Lineker’s late goal was too little too late.
England just could not *ahem* handle Maradona. His combined total of dribbles completed (10) and fouls won (7) is the sixth highest by any player in a game on record at the World Cup. As it happens, two of the five above him are Maradona himself earlier in that same tournament.
He also scored one of the best World Cup goals ever to double Argentina’s lead as he picked the ball up in his own half and dribbled all the way to goal. It is the third-longest carry leading to a goal (54.4m) at any World Cup since 1966.
Maradona led the game for goals (2), shots (7), expected goals (1.15 xG), dribbles attempted (16), successful dribbles (10), chances created (5), touches (73) and passes in the final third (20). He also competed in five aerial duels and won – according to the data – two of them. It won’t matter to anyone Argentinian, but we all know he didn’t win one of them legally.
Argentina 2-2 England (4-3 on pens), Round of 16, 1998
The pain of 1986 was still raw enough that this game, 12 years on, felt very much like a grudge match. Glenn Hoddle, on the losing side in Mexico City, was now England’s manager, desperate to exact revenge for that defeat.
This turned out to be another World Cup classic, played at a breathtaking pace; the game had everything, much of which was crammed into an action-packed first half.
Argentina went ahead with a penalty, only for England to equalise with one of their own minutes later, won – notably, as we will soon see – by a teenage Michael Owen.
Owen then did his own Maradona impression, scoring following the 11th longest carry leading to a goal (35.3m) on record in the World Cup to put England back in front.
Paul Scholes missed a huge chance to put England 3-1 up just before Argentina equalised from a well-worked set-piece routine. It was classic Argentina: they have scored more goals from indirect free-kicks (nine) than any other team on record (since 1966) in World Cup history.
In total, the teams generated 3.15 xG before half-time, the 15th highest in a World Cup game and fifth highest ever in a knockout match, which can often be cagey affairs.
The second half saw fewer chances – partly because Sol Campbell’s header was ruled out for a foul by Alan Shearer – but also because England went down to 10 men when David Beckham was sent off. Only eight fixtures in World Cup history have produced more red cards than games between England and Argentina (two).
England’s hearts were broken as Argentina went on to prevail on penalties, but there was to be a chance for revenge at the next tournament.
Argentina 0-1 England, Group Stage, 2002
The teams were drawn together in the group stage just four years later, and England took their chance.
They ensured this was a far less eventful game, keeping things under control far better than they had in France. Argentina had chances worth a lower xG in this whole game (1.16) than they did in the first half of their 1998 meeting (1.32).
England had just 35.5% possession, their third-lowest possession share in a World Cup game on record, but kept Argentina at arm’s length. The only games in which they’ve had lower possession are against Mexico in 2026 and Argentina in 1998, having played with 10 men for most of the second half in both (and extra-time in the latter).
That makes this their lowest-ever possession in a World Cup game when they haven’t had a man sent off, and they saw out a famous victory. There was redemption for Beckham as he converted a penalty on the stroke of half-time.
There was understandable frustration from the Argentines, however, at the awarding of the penalty, won by Owen under the attentions of Mauricio Pochettino. Replays suggested there was little contact.
Owen admitted years later that the penalties he won both in 1998 and 2002 were soft. “Could I have stayed up? Yes, probably,” he said in 2012. England have only ever received one card for simulation on record (since 1966) in their World Cup history.
It might not exactly have been the Hand of God, but Argentina will certainly have felt hard done by.
Beyond the fact that they’re playing for a spot in the World Cup final, the teams come into their 2026 meeting with many reasons to want to get one over their long-time rivals.
It is an opportunity for revenge for past injustices. It is a chance to prove footballing superiority. Argentina will also want to honour the memory of Rattin, who passed away on Saturday at the age of 89, and Maradona, their legendary forward who tormented England 40 years ago. Many England fans will still feel that they want revenge in a knockout match; 2002 arguably does not suffice.
There is no question that this match means more to both England and Argentina than other games. Messi should expect an eventful introduction to the rivalry.
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