Can Messi break his scoring curse in his first attempt against Europe's giants?

Ibrahim bin Mohammed

Monday, July 13, 2026 12:15 | 2 minutes read

Argentine legend Lionel Messi is preparing to face an unprecedented historic challenge in his international career spanning more than 20 years, when he leads his national team next Wednesday evening at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, USA, to face England in the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup.

This anticipated World Cup summit marks an exceptional turning point for Argentina's all-time top scorer; as it is the first time he faces the 'Three Lions' in his long career, the only major team in the world that has been absent from the 39-year-old Flea's record, who has played more than 200 international matches crowned with the 2022 Qatar World Cup title.

The official statistics of the Argentine star reveal a rich and varied record when facing 'new opponents' for the first time; he has historically succeeded in scoring against top powers in his first attempt, such as France in a 2009 friendly, Spain in 2010, and Croatia in 2006 which saw him score his first international goal.

On the other hand, other teams have eluded him in the first encounter; he remained goalless against Brazil, Germany, and the Netherlands, up to the match against Italy in the 2022 'Finalissima' where he did not score but made a historic brace.

The 'Tango' captain enters the Latin-European showdown as the top scorer of the current World Cup edition with 8 goals, level with Frenchman Kylian Mbappé, after a marathon match against Switzerland in the quarterfinal which Messi's teammates decided with a hat-trick in extra time.

The match carries a sharp vengeful and popular character, reviving one of the fiercest rivalries in the history of the game, reminiscent of Diego Maradona's goals in 1986 and David Beckham's red card in the 1998 World Cup.

The troops of German coach Thomas Tuchel will face a complex tactical test to contain Messi's threat, amid analysts' questions about the English defense's ability to withstand the 'tactical genius' of the Argentine star, or adding him to the list of teams that prevented him from scoring in the first encounter.