Lionel Mesi and Argentina are getting ready to take on England in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal in Atlanta on Wednesday.
Updated: July 13, 2026, 1:34 PM IST
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Argentina’s Lionel Messi will face England for first time in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal on Wednesday. (Photo: IANS)
Argentina vs England FIFA World Cup 2026: Argentina legend Lionel Messi appears to be getting better with age after celebrating his 39th birthday in the middle of FIFA World Cup 2026. Messi is currently in contention to win Golden Boot in FIFA World Cup 2026 as he is level with France’s Kylian Mbappe with 8 goals each. He also became just the fourth-ever footballers to start in 4 quarterfinal games in World Cup after the German trio of Lothar Matthaus, Miroslav Klose and Uwe Seeler.
On Wednesday night, Messi could be making his final appearance (if Argentina lose) as he gets ready to take on Harry Kane’s England in FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal at the Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The question on every Argentina and Messi fan’s mind is whether the legendary footballer will announce his retirement after the tournament.
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Messi will be 42 years of age by the time the next World Cup comes around in Morocco, Spain and Portugal in 4 years time. Even if Messi goes on to win back-to-back World Cup titles in New York on Sunday night, he is unlikely turn up at another World Cup.
But the decision to announce his retirement will be based on more than footballing reasons. His contemporaries – Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar Jr – have already announced that they have played their final World Cup. Brazil’s Neymar, in fact, went on to announce that he will be retiring from international football too.
Lionel Messi is the first player to create 20+ chances at the 2026 World Cup.
The Argentine has now created the same amount of chances and big chances at both of the last two tournaments.
2022
◎ 21 chances created
◎ 7 big chances created2026
◉ 21 chances created
◉… pic.twitter.com/epen6WfeGz— Squawka (@Squawka) July 12, 2026
What does Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami contract state?
Messi, who became the world record holder for most goals in World Cup – 21 – is the third highest-paid athlete in the world, according to Forbes website. Only part of that net worth and income comes from his actual playing contract at Inter Miami, but he is clearly worth a lot more while he is still active than what he’ll be after retirement.
Messi’s previous contract with Inter Miami was set to expire at the end of 2025, but he signed a new three-year deal to extend his stay instead. The new Inter Miami doesn’t expire till he is 41 years of age and could be an indication that he may continue playing before the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Meanwhile, Messi is getting ready to face England in a World Cup match for the first time in his career. “The truth is, it’s special,” Messi told reporters, as quoted by FIFA, after Argentina’s 3-1 extra-time victory over Switzerland in the quarterfinal.
“It’s a special match because it’s my first time. I’ve played against everyone except England. And it’s special, as I said before, because they’re a big team, a powerhouse. It’s always nice to play against teams like that, in matches like this, and especially in the semi-finals of a World Cup,” he added.
England is the only major football nation that Messi hasn’t faced in his career so far. The closest he came to playing against the Three Lions was during a friendly in Geneva in November 2005, when Argentina lost 3-2. Messi was unavailable for that match after being sent off on his senior international debut against Hungary earlier that year.
