Messi never played against England

Lionel Messi has achieved almost everything possible in football, lifting the biggest trophies in the game and collecting countless individual honours along the way.

Yet, there is one unusual gap in his extraordinary career, he has never faced England, let alone beaten them on the international stage.

That will all change on Wednesday, when the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner walks out alongside his Argentina teammates at Atlanta Stadium, as two nations separated by one of football’s fiercest rivalries meet in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final.

Suspension ruled Messi out in 2005
When England and Argentina last met in 2005, Messi was still a teenager at the beginning of his international career and had only just started to attract attention on the world stage.

The Barcelona youngster had made his senior debut for Argentina just three months earlier, but that first appearance ended in controversy as he was shown a red card only 47 seconds after coming on as a substitute against Hungary.

The dismissal meant Messi was suspended and forced to miss Argentina’s friendly against England in Geneva later that year.

It was a frustrating moment for the rising star, who had already shown glimpses of the talent that would eventually make him one of football’s greatest players. While England took home a thrilling 3-2 victory, Messi could only watch from the sidelines as he waited for his next opportunity with the national team.
The second reason

There is also another factor that may explain why Messi has never had the chance to face England since that 2005 meeting.

As the Argentine icon’s reputation grew and he established himself as one of the greatest players in football history, reports suggested that Argentina’s asking price for international friendlies featuring Messi had risen significantly, with fees of between £3 million and £4 million being quoted.

With Argentina based on the other side of the world, the cost of arranging such a fixture, combined with the appearance fee reportedly required, has made a potential reunion between the two nations difficult to organise.

It’s possible the England Football Association has largely been deterred by those figures, meaning one of football’s biggest stars has continued to avoid a meeting with the Three Lions, until the a World Cup semi-final finally brings them together.