Jude Bellingham scored twice to drag England past Norway in extra time, and Julian Alvarez ripped a long-range strike to send Argentina through against Switzerland.
The reward for both: a semifinal collision in Atlanta on Wednesday that might be the most anticipated World Cup match in two decades.
England won 2-1. Argentina won 3-1. And now these two countries, who have been producing operatic World Cup drama against each other since 1966, get to do it again with a final on the line.
Bellingham Is Doing Maradona Things
There is no other way to say it. Bellingham equalized against Norway in first-half stoppage time with a composed finish off a Gordon assist, then pounced on a rebound from Morgan Rogers’ shot in the 93rd minute to send England through. That is back-to-back two-goal performances in consecutive knockout games, a feat no England player has managed since, well, nobody.
The comparison the tournament keeps reaching for is Diego Maradona in 1986, as Yahoo Sports noted. Bellingham is the first player to score two or more goals in consecutive World Cup knockout matches since Maradona did it 40 years ago. His six tournament goals tie him with Gary Lineker’s 1986 tally and Harry Kane’s combined World Cup record. He is 23 years old.
Scottie Scheffler missing the cut at the Scottish Open generated the sports-trending headlines this weekend, but Bellingham’s tournament is the story of the summer. The Real Madrid midfielder is carrying an entire nation’s hopes on his back and making it look like something between inevitable and recreational.
Argentina Survived a Scare
Argentina’s path was messier. Alexis Mac Allister opened the scoring in the 10th minute from a Messi corner, but Switzerland equalized through Dan Ndoye in the 67th minute and nearly won it in regulation. It took extra time and a Swiss red card before Alvarez uncorked a right-footed rocket in the 112th minute that found the far upper corner, as ESPN reported. Lautaro Martinez added a third in stoppage time to settle it.
The bigger story is Messi. He now has 10 career World Cup assists alongside his eight goals, numbers that cement a statistical legacy that was already secure. But Messi turned 39 last month. This is almost certainly his final World Cup, and Argentina is doing what champion teams do: finding ways to win ugly when the star is managing minutes rather than dominating them.
The History Is Almost Too Perfect
England and Argentina have met in World Cup knockouts four times. Each match has produced a moment seared into football folklore.
Geoff Hurst’s disputed goal won England the 1966 quarterfinal. Maradona’s “Hand of God” and “Goal of the Century” won Argentina the 1986 quarterfinal. David Beckham’s red card in 1998 sent 10-man England crashing out on penalties. Beckham’s revenge penalty won England the 2002 group-stage meeting. The teams have not met at a World Cup since, which makes Wednesday’s semifinal at Atlanta Stadium the first meeting in the quarterfinals or later since 1998.
The other semifinal pits France against Spain, which means whoever comes out of Wednesday’s match faces another footballing giant. There is no easy path left.
What Wednesday Comes Down To
England has Bellingham in form that transcends normal tournament performances. Argentina has Messi’s brain and a squad that won the 2022 World Cup and knows how to close out tournaments. Kickoff is 3 p.m. ET at Atlanta Stadium.
The narrative is almost too neat: the young English star doing what Maradona once did, about to face Maradona’s country in the same round Maradona made his legend. If you love football, you already have Wednesday circled. If you don’t, this is the match that could convert you.
LNC has tracked this tournament from the quarterfinals through to this weekend’s drama, and this semifinal lineup is the one neutrals dreamed about. Wednesday cannot come fast enough.