Football World Cup Final Tickets: England v Argentina for a place in the World Cup final. Iconic. Generational. Classic. It’s hard to find the words to do the occasion justice. On Wednesday in Atlanta, Lionel Messi will be playing against England for the first time in his career as the defending world champions bid to stop Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions ending 60 years of hurt.
The Origins of the England vs Argentina World Cup Rivalry
It’s a World Cup rivalry that started back in 1962 and has featured wonder goals, controversy, and red cards ever since. But it’s not just an on-field rivalry. Political tensions, especially around the Falklands War in the 1980s, dominate the relationship between the two nations. Argentina players and fans still reference the conflict in football songs.
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Before one of England’s biggest matches in history, BBC Sport takes a look back at the World Cup rivalry between the two sides. It may surprise many that of the five World Cup matches played between the two sides, it is England that is on top, but it has been a while since they won one that really mattered.
Matches That Defined Football History
With their last World Cup meeting back in 2002, many of the countries’ younger generations won’t even remember the rivalry, so BBC Sport revisits six decades of controversy. A tame affair compared to what was to follow. Goals from Ron Flowers, Bobby Charlton, and Jimmy Greaves put England into an unassailable 3-0 lead, with a late consolation from Argentina.
The two teams met in the quarter-finals in a match Argentina, to this day, insists they were robbed in, claiming Geoff Hurst’s winning goal was offside. That was just the tip of the iceberg when it came to controversy, though, with Argentina captain Antonio Rattin sent off after just 33 minutes for two offences in the space of three minutes. Click to read more about Football World Cup Final Tickets.
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The first was for a trip on Bobby Charlton, the second was for continuing to argue with German referee Rudolf Kreitlein. The match was delayed for almost eight minutes as Rattin refused to leave the pitch. Tackling is fine, he said. But it was some of the snidey things, the spitting and pulling the short hairs on your neck, pulling your ear.
Politics, Passion, and the Falklands Shadow
They were trying to intimidate us. The trouble was that when they found out they weren’t going to get their way, they fell into some of the worst excesses I’ve ever seen. I just consider it the greatest shame that they didn’t play the game they were capable of. We might even have got beaten, but they just should have got on and shown what they could do.
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There was a lot of commotion in the tunnel after the game. Nobody was allowed out, so we didn’t see it. The match is also believed to have led to the introduction of red and yellow cards, which were first used in the 1970 World Cup in Mexico. BBC World Service’s Lourdes Heredia, who was at the game in the Azteca Stadium, said: My father wasn’t sure about his ‘princesses going’.
The Argentine media and public framed the match as a way to express their resentment at the conflict, while their British counterparts also leaned into it, using nationalistic language to heighten the animosity between the countries. He was worried that tensions between Argentina and England fans would spill over. My mother didn’t hesitate. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Can England End Decades of World Cup Drama?
It provided a moment no English football fan from that era will ever forget. As the genius that was Diego Maradona punched Argentina into the lead against England. Literally. The Argentine number 10 leapt for a ball with England goalkeeper Peter Shilton but. Somehow unnoticed, he opted to punch the ball into the empty net. If only VAR were around then.
To be fair to Maradona, he then scored probably the greatest World Cup goal. Of all time as he dribbled through half the England team, rounded Shilton and slotted home to double Argentina’s lead. When I lived and worked in Argentina, people regularly brought up the Hand of God, said Heredia. But this is to forget that the second goal was just spectacular, almost unbelievable.
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Gary Lineker pulled one back late on. But it was to no avail as England crashed out in the most controversial of circumstances. It took until 2005 for Maradona to apologise. An apology, Shilton rejected. To rub salt into the wound, Argentina went on to beat West Germany in the final to lift the trophy. The game will always be remembered for his kick out at Argentina’s Diego Simeone and subsequent red card.
When did England and Argentina first meet at the FIFA World Cup?
England and Argentina first faced each other at the FIFA World Cup in 1962. During the group stage in Chile, where England secured a 3-1 victory.
Why is the England vs Argentina football rivalry so famous?
The rivalry is considered one of football’s greatest because of its dramatic World Cup encounters, controversial moments, iconic goals, penalty shootouts, and the political backdrop that has intensified the competition.
What happened in the 1966 World Cup quarter-final between England and Argentina?
England defeated Argentina 1-0 in a heated quarter-final that featured the controversial sending off of Argentina captain Antonio Rattin and a match remembered for its physical intensity.
Why is Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ goal so controversial?
During the 1986 World Cup quarter-final, Maradona used his hand to score against England. The goal was allowed to stand because officials did not see the handball, making it one of football’s most debated moments.
What is considered Diego Maradona’s greatest World Cup goal?
Just minutes after the ‘Hand of God’ goal, Maradona dribbled past multiple England players before scoring, a strike widely regarded as one of the greatest goals in World Cup history.
How did David Beckham redeem himself against Argentina?
After being sent off against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup, Beckham scored the winning penalty in England’s 1-0 victory over Argentina during the 2002 World Cup group stage.
How many times have England and Argentina faced each other at the FIFA World Cup?
Before their latest meeting, the two nations had played five World Cup matches, producing unforgettable moments that have become part of football history.
How has the Falklands War influenced the football rivalry?
The 1982 Falklands War added political significance to matches between England and Argentina, with football often becoming a symbolic extension of the historical tensions between the two countries.
Why is the latest England vs Argentina World Cup match so significant?
With a place in the World Cup final at stake, the latest meeting adds another chapter to one of international football’s most iconic rivalries, combining history, emotion, and the pursuit of football’s biggest prize.
How can fans sell FIFA World Cup 2026 tickets safely?
Fans can sell FIFA World Cup tickets through trusted platforms like Xchangetickets. These marketplaces connect buyers and sellers for group, knockout, and final matches.