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Rivalries in football often exist for unique reasons. It’s not that they are simplistic, but rather, we understand why they are there. Like Liverpool’s rivalry with Everton or the Superclásico between Boca Juniors and River Plate, local derbies are contested and contested on the basis of a turf war that has brought them together but in reality far apart. They are neighbors who hate each other and nothing will ever change that.
The situation is different on the international stage, where significant cultural and political moments in history create rivalries so fierce that they persist across generations. Take as an example the Clásico del Pacífico between Chile and Peru, which stemmed from a war in the 19th century. As my father taught me at a young age, Peruvians pronounce the word “Chalaca” instead of “Chilena” to describe a bicycle kick, because Peru refuses to believe that a Chilean of Spanish descent invented this acrobatic move and attributes it to Afro-Peruvians from an era that has never been recorded.
But I digress. What I mean is that rivalries in the beautiful game usually have a connective tissue that endures in the mindset of each supporter, where history and geography paint the picture of a fierce battle on the field.
However, there is one rivalry so deep that it dominates the others. It’s both delicate and useful, because it stems from war, the social and cultural animosity of two continents and ways of life, but at the same time – but it has also given us some of the most memorable and dramatic moments of the FIFA World Cup.
It’s a rivalry made of thorns, rooted in years of resentment where the stars also seek to emerge from moments of fierce action.
It’s Argentina and England. A match like no other.
After Argentina’s victory over Switzerland and England’s victory over Norway, the two will meet again on Wednesday in Atlanta for what should be a majestic semi-final where the past meets the present. The fact that, surprisingly, this is also Lionel Messi’s first encounter against the Three Lions is probably a secondary headline.
After all, this is a ghost match, born in 1962, but whose animosity grew over the years and four years later, in 1966, that’s when the fire was founded.
England v Argentina during the 1966 World Cup. (Photo by Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
It was the last and only time England won the World Cup. The hosts emerged victorious against Argentina in the quarter-final, but it was a very physical match where Argentina captain Antonio Rattín (sadly passed away this month aged 89) was sent off in the first half for two fouls in the space of three minutes. This match was so fierce that England manager Alf Ramsey decided to refer to the opponents as “animals” and did not want his players to swap shirts at the end of the match.
It was also a game that essentially introduced yellow and red cards, knowing all too well that something had to be done to take the heat off.
A rivalry rooted in animosity when the 1966 match turned sour. (Photo by S&G/PA Images via Getty Images)
Good luck with that.
At the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, there was the arrival of the legendary Diego Maradona, but more notably, it was now a quarter-final between the two sides after the Falklands War – something so profound for both sides, but for Argentina – it was the fall of a military government, which gave birth to a new democracy in 1983. A relationship made of war, something more impactful and catastrophic than anything that we could imagine, now played the role of protagonist.
Diego Maradona had an iconic match against England. (Photo by Etsuo Hara/Getty Images)
As a result, the 1986 match brought with it the everlasting memory of the Hand of God, where in the 51st minute, still scoreless, the 5ft 5in Maradona beat England stopper Peter Shilton and used his hand to hit the ball out of Shilton’s reach and into the net. Despite England’s aggressive complaints, the goal stood, allowing Maradona to score a second goal four minutes later, which is one of the greatest works of art you’ll ever see on the pitch.
Maradona and Argentina would eventually win the World Cup and the star would recognize later in life that it was an intentional handball, but more importantly, it was not just a goal he was celebrating, but symbolic revenge on the fallen soldiers of the Falklands. This would only make him an even greater icon and hero for Argentines, and a despised rival in England.
After this moment in World Cup history, it’s fair to say that something has stuck with both nations. It is now a rivalry that goes beyond football. It was a question of life and death. Maybe it means different things to each other, but the cauldron of fire continued to grow and that’s when, 12 years later, David Beckham entered the narrative.
David Beckham played a role in the Argentina-England rivalry. (Photo by Tony Marshall/EMPICS via Getty Images)
In 1998, during the World Cup in France, the golden boy of England and the Three Lions faced Argentina in the round of 16. I remember this match very well. I was at boarding school and my friends and I escaped to a local pub and watched the match, hiding behind the pack of adults shouting at the TV as Beckham sent off Diego Simeone after a clash and was consequently sent off in the 48th minute. It was a moment of madness, beautifully performed by Simeone, breaking the hearts of English fans who had already seen 18-year-old Michael Owen score one of the greatest goals in English football history. But that was before the red card.
We can only remember the post-mortem and how it vilified Beckham and put a damper on England’s progress by losing on penalties. For Argentina? Once again, it was revenge. Redemption. Historical atonement.
But four years later, in Japan, during the group stage of the 2002 World Cup, Beckham would be saved after a penalty scored, which was therefore the consequence of a foul by Mauricio Pochettino on said Owen. Beckham sealed the spot-kick and the Three Lions would secure victory. A round of 16 victory over Denmark would follow, before ultimately losing to Ronaldinho’s audacious free kick and the magical Brazil side in the quarter-final.
David Beckham played against Argentina in two editions of the World Cup. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
And so here we are. 24 years later. The rivalry returns to the grandest stages and, although many young people don’t even have a memory of this conflict, it’s safe to say they will know by Wednesday.
Argentina fans – and the team – resurrected their call to arms in song as La Cuarta Estrella (“The Fourth Star”) became synonymous with this team. The song says:
By Malvinas, by El Diego (“For the Falkland Islands, for Diego”),
For Leo’s ultima (“For the last of Leo”),
Argentina quiero verte bicampeón (“Argentina, I want to see you back-to-back champion).
There might be a case to be made that this rivalry means more to Argentina than England. For the losses and the pain, the common thread of the country and what history has done – or rather undone – to them. And there’s the team itself, who wear emotion on their sleeve and kill it themselves for victory.
But I think this England team is also just as loaded. Full of fire and venom. This is a team that has already faced incredible hostility and extreme conditions. From the victory against Mexico at the Azteca to the persistence of hot and humid conditions in Miami against Erling Haaland’s Norway. So they understand the challenge. They know the mission and the issues of the moment. More importantly, they know that Argentina, despite some weaknesses at this World Cup, are still the defending champions for good reason.
Lionel Scaloni tries to assuage the historical nature and historical connotations of the rivalry, but he knows too well that it won’t happen.
Then there’s Messi himself, who is set to face England for the first time at international level. The greatest player football has ever seen, carrying his country on his shoulders, with Diego Maradona, Rattín and other fallen heroes looking down on him from above. As he continues to deliver this final dance, now comes the biggest and most emotionally charged battle of all: a match against England.
It does not escape me to recall that he will also face his boss from Inter Miami since David Beckham will be watching him from the stands.
Before the match, I’m sure they will wish each other good luck and remember the similarities the two nations share. These are the same things Argentina and England love about each other. From Oasis to the Beatles, the warmth of loyalty in football itself and the appreciation of the beauty and struggle in the game. The shared respect is as powerful as the historical enmities that brought us here in the first place.
But know this. On Wednesday in Atlanta, as they watch each other on the pitch and prepare to fight for every ball, every tackle and every effort towards victory, Argentina and England will remind us why football is so much more valuable than social media highlights or glamor shots of celebrities attending a match in the luxury of a suite.
England versus Argentina is about love and hate, fallen heroes and newly discovered saviors. It is about the present but also the past, both eternally linked to memories of pain and sacrifice. It’s a time when you appreciate what you have, thanks to the caretakers who brought you to this moment. But it is also a match of fierce competition, with the hope that you carry the identity of your nation deep in your heart, flowing through your veins and never forgetting that this rivalry can only exist because you are each other.
