England and Argentina meet Wednesday for a spot in the World Cup final, and it’s been a while coming. The two sides hadn’t played each other since 2005, but few rivalries carry as much history, from a Hand of God to a David Beckham red card to a David Beckham redemption. Here’s every match the two nations have played.
England vs. Argentina History
- May 9, 1951 (London): England 2, Argentina 1 — Friendly
- May 14, 1953 (Buenos Aires): Argentina 3, England 1 — Unofficial warm-up; not recognized by England as a full international
- May 17, 1953 (Buenos Aires): Argentina 0, England 0 — Friendly abandoned because of torrential rain
- June 2, 1962 (Rancagua, Chile): England 3, Argentina 1 — 1962 FIFA World Cup
- June 6, 1964 (Rio de Janeiro): Argentina 1, England 0 — Taça das Nações
- July 23, 1966 (London): England 1, Argentina 0 — 1966 FIFA World Cup quarterfinal
- May 22, 1974 (London): England 2, Argentina 2 — Friendly
- June 12, 1977 (Buenos Aires): Argentina 1, England 1 — Friendly
- May 13, 1980 (London): England 3, Argentina 1 — Friendly
- June 22, 1986 (Mexico City): Argentina 2, England 1 — 1986 FIFA World Cup quarterfinal
- May 25, 1991 (London): Argentina 2, England 2 — 1991 England Challenge Cup
- June 30, 1998 (Saint-Étienne, France): Argentina 2, England 2, AET, Argentina won 4-3 on penalties — 1998 FIFA World Cup round of 16
- Feb. 23, 2000 (London): England 0, Argentina 0 — Friendly
- June 7, 2002 (Sapporo, Japan): England 1, Argentina 0 — 2002 FIFA World Cup group stage
- Nov. 12, 2005 (Geneva): England 3, Argentina 2 — Friendly
Wednesday’s World Cup semifinal in Atlanta will be the 15th meeting between the two countries (their 16th encounter if the unofficial 1953 warm-up is included), and the first since that 2005 friendly.
IS IT FINALLY COMING HOME? 👀🚨 Peter Crouch & Alex Scott REACT to England’s 2-1 win over Norway ⚽️
Peter Crouch, Alex Scott, Kasper Schmeichel and Mo Edu react to England’s 2-1 win over Norway to send the Three Lions to the Semifinals.
The Three Matches Everyone Remembers
1986: The Hand of God, and the Goal of the Century
Diego Maradona scored twice in the quarterfinal in Mexico City, first with a blatant handball he later called “the Hand of God,” then with a run through half of England’s team that’s still known as the “Goal of the Century.” Argentina won, 2-1, and went on to win the tournament.
1998: Beckham’s Red Card
David Beckham was sent off for a kick at Diego Simeone in the round of 16, leaving England to play a man down for more than an hour. The match finished 2-2 after extra time, and Argentina won on penalties, 4-3.
2002: Beckham’s Redemption
Four years later, Beckham got the chance to put it right. He converted a penalty in England’s 1-0 group-stage victory, helping England advance while Argentina ultimately went home in the group stage.
World Cup Related Stories
How to Watch England vs. Argentina Today
- When: Wednesday, July 15, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. ET
- Where: Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, GA
- TV: FOX
- Stream: Watch 3 days free on FOX One, FOX Sports
