The first World Cup meeting between England and Argentina in 24 years ignited within seconds of the kick-off in Atlanta, not with a goal but with a flurry of late challenges and a shoving match that drew both benches to their feet. Referee Ismail Elfath, an American official whose appointment had already stirred debate in English media due to his unblemished record when officiating Lionel Messi’s teams, was forced to intervene after only two minutes when Leandro Paredes clattered into Jude Bellingham long after the ball had gone. Moments later, Enzo Fernández caught Elliot Anderson with a high elbow, sparking a melee that set the tone for a fractious, scoreless opening. By the 15-minute mark, eight fouls had been called and neither goalkeeper had been tested, the contest a study in compressed midfield space and simmering animosity.

Both managers had sprung selection surprises. Thomas Tuchel handed a first start of the knockout phase to Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers on the right wing, shifting the in-form Bukayo Saka to the bench, while recalling Reece James at right-back and Djed Spence on the left. The German coach, who had spoken of a “feeling” about Rogers’s recent training performances, also declared Declan Rice fit after illness, restoring the midfield anchor alongside Anderson. For Argentina, Lionel Scaloni made the boldest call of his tenure, dropping Rodrigo De Paul – a mainstay of the 2022 triumph – and inserting Giuliano Simeone on the right of a 4-4-2. The Atlético Madrid winger’s brief was clear: to track the forward runs of England’s full-backs and deny space to Bellingham, the Real Madrid star whose six goals have carried the Three Lions through the knockout rounds.

The fixture carries a weight of history unmatched in the modern tournament. This is the sixth World Cup clash between the nations, and the first since David Beckham’s penalty settled a group-stage encounter in 2002. England hold a narrow edge in those meetings, with three wins to Argentina’s two, though the South Americans’ victories – the “Hand of God” and “Goal of the Century” in 1986, and a penalty shoot-out in 1998 – are etched into football folklore. For Messi, the 39-year-old captain playing in his final World Cup, it is a first-ever appearance against England, a quirk of scheduling and a 2005 friendly he missed through suspension. He entered the match as joint-top scorer with eight goals, level with the eliminated Kylian Mbappé, while Harry Kane and Bellingham, with six apiece, represented England’s entire knockout-phase output.

Security around the stadium was visibly heightened, with the US Department of Homeland Security designating the match a SEAR 1 event, the highest federal standard for mass gatherings. Agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement patrolled the perimeter, though officials stressed their focus was on counterfeit merchandise and illegal ticket sales, not immigration enforcement. Inside, the crowd was overwhelmingly pro-Argentina, their chants of “el que no salta es un inglés” echoing during the English national anthem. The winner will meet Spain in Sunday’s final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, after the European champions dispatched France 2-0 a day earlier. The loser faces France in the third-place match in Miami on Saturday.

As the first half wore on, England enjoyed more possession but struggled to penetrate an Argentine defence that compressed space around Messi when the ball was lost. The early skirmishes had not yet given way to clear chances, but the sense of a contest balanced on a knife-edge was unmistakable. With a place in the final at stake, and the memory of 60 years of English waiting since 1966 looming, the tension inside the Atlanta Stadium was as thick as the Georgia humidity outside.