A grudge match worth 2.1 billion euros! England to face Argentina in World Cup semifinal, 24 years after their last meeting

On July 12, Beijing time, the last two quarterfinal matches of the World Cup ended. England and Norway, along with Argentina and Switzerland, played their respective games, with England and Argentina emerging victorious to meet in the semifinals. Thus, the eagerly awaited "England-Argentina" showdown returns to the World Cup stage after a 24-year hiatus.

Because of the Falkland Islands conflict, England and Argentina are considered football's "eternal enemies," and every meeting between them is filled with tension. In World Cup history alone, the two sides have faced off five times, with England holding a slight edge with three wins against Argentina's two.

In 1966, during the World Cup hosted by England, the quarterfinal saw England eliminate Argentina with a 1-0 victory, thanks to a 78th-minute goal by Geoff Hurst, which sent England to the semifinals and eventually led to their championship win.

In the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, the quarterfinal between Argentina and England saw Argentina avenge their earlier loss with a 2-1 victory, courtesy of a brace from Diego Maradona. It was in that match that iconic moments like the "Hand of God" and the "Goal of the Century" (a solo run past five players) were born.

At the 1998 World Cup in France, the two teams met again in the round of 16, with Argentina eliminating England on penalties. That match also saw David Beckham sent off after being provoked by Diego Simeone, further fueling the rivalry between the sides.

Four years later, at the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan, England and Argentina were drawn into the same group. In a crucial second group match, England secured a 1-0 victory thanks to a penalty won by Michael Owen and converted by David Beckham, completing their revenge. England advanced to the quarterfinals after the group stage, while Argentina surprisingly failed to progress beyond the group stage.

Now, 24 years later, the two sides meet again on the World Cup stage. This marks the first time that 39-year-old Argentine legend Lionel Messi leads his team against England. The battle for the Golden Boot between Messi, Harry Kane, and Jude Bellingham is also one of the highlights of this match.

Will Argentina, with a total squad value of 800 million euros, reach the final for the second consecutive time, or will England, valued at 1.3 billion euros, make it to the final for only the second time? Let's wait and see.