England-Argentina World Cup Semifinal Reignites Painful Historic Rivalry

2026 FIFA World Cup will see two bitter rivals face off today in what is widely expected to be one of the most emotionally charged matches of the tournament. The contest will see Lionel Messi, considered by many to be one of the best soccer players in the world, play against England for the first time in his long and storied career. He will face England’s all-time top goal scorer Harry Kane, and one of the stars of the tournament, Jude Bellingham.

Previous matches between the two countries have produced some of the sport’s most iconic moments. But this rivalry goes well beyond the soccer field.

The Falklands War

Diplomatic relations between England and Argentina remain strained to this day over two small islands off Argentina’s Atlantic coast. To the U.K., they are the Falklands, but Argentina calls them the Malvinas. In the 18th century, France, Spain and Britain all tried to lay claim to the islands, establishing early colonial settlements. France agreed to leave the islands in 1766, leaving Spanish settlers to force out the British, who withdrew in 1774. 

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