Twenty-eight years is a long time to carry the weight of a penalty shootout defeat, yet Alan Shearer admits the pain of France 1998 has never fully left him. The former England captain, who led his country into one of international football's most dramatic evenings in Saint-Étienne, believes Wednesday's World Cup semi-final against Argentina in Atlanta (kick-off 20:00 BST) represents the chance for a new generation to write a very different story.

The Ghost of Saint-Étienne

Shearer has been candid about how deeply that night at Stade Geoffroy Guichard affected him. England came agonisingly close — Michael Owen's stunning individual goal, a disallowed Sol Campbell header, 75 minutes with ten men after David Beckham's red card, and ultimately the lottery of penalties going the wrong way. In his own words, he still does not believe the best team won. That conviction, held quietly for nearly three decades, gives his endorsement of this current England side real weight.

The context could scarcely be more loaded. England now face the same opponents, at the same stage of a World Cup, with a place in the final the prize. Shearer describes it as a tie that adds spice to an already extraordinary occasion, and he is convinced England can win it — regardless of the manner of victory.

Messi: The Variable Nobody Can Ignore

Standing between England and the final is Lionel Messi, a player Shearer describes as arguably the greatest of all time — and one who has, remarkably, never faced England before. Shearer acknowledges that Argentina's route to the semi-final has not always been pretty, but stresses their effectiveness: they are the defending champions, streetwise and experienced, and they have a habit of finding results when they need them most. Messi is central to everything they do.

On how to handle him, Shearer floated the option of a dedicated man-marker — naming Djed Spence as a candidate — but expects England to trust the same system that has carried them through the previous six matches. The likely approach will involve one or two players moving across to compress Messi's space whenever he receives the ball, rather than one individual shadowing him for ninety minutes. Neutralising him would improve England's chances significantly, though Shearer is clear it will not be sufficient on its own.

Discipline Will Be the Deciding Factor

If there is a note of genuine concern in Shearer's thinking, it centres on discipline and officiating. He would not be surprised to see another red card in what he anticipates will be a ferocious atmosphere, and he has raised questions about the consistency of refereeing decisions across the tournament. A ruling that disallowed an Egypt goal against Argentina in the last 16 — based on a foul at the opposite end of the pitch — struck him as baffling, and he hopes Wednesday's match is not decided by similarly contentious moments.

His message to the players is straightforward: cool heads are imperative. England cannot afford to gift the referee or VAR an opportunity to intervene at a critical moment. The lesson from 1998, learned the hard way, is that tempers boiling over can define a game in seconds.

Two Wins from Immortality

Shearer's broader point is that this group of England players should understand the magnitude of the moment. Two results separate them from lifting the World Cup, and he is adamant they have the quality to seize it. The difference between his generation and this one need not be the outcome — it could simply be the willingness to stay composed when it matters most, and to land on the right side of the result that eluded England all those years ago in France.

  • England vs Argentina semi-final: Wednesday, Atlanta, 20:00 BST
  • England have not previously faced Messi in a competitive fixture
  • Argentina are the defending World Cup champions

FAQs

Frequently asked

What time is England vs Argentina in the World Cup 2026 semi-final?
The semi-final kicks off at 20:00 BST on Wednesday, with the match being played in Atlanta.
Has Lionel Messi ever played against England before?
No. Despite his lengthy international career, Messi has never faced England in a competitive fixture, making Wednesday's semi-final a historic first meeting.
What happened when England last played Argentina at a World Cup?
England and Argentina met in the last 16 at France 1998. England lost on penalties after a match that included Michael Owen's famous goal, David Beckham's red card, and a disallowed Sol Campbell header. They also famously lost a quarter-final to Argentina in 1986.