Both players combined have scored 12 out of the Three Lions’ 13 goals scored
It is down to the last four and this is a defining moment for England. The Three Lions have only reached the World Cup final once: in 1966, when they won it on home soil. Since then they have reached three semi-finals, having reached the same stage in 2018 when they were knocked out by Croatia. The most recent is here in America, where they will face defending champions Argentina.
England and Argentina are of course entirely different teams from different continents, but in one way at least they are similar this summer: both sides have mainly relied on an x-factor, a greater-than-human presence of sorts.
Of course Argentina have Lionel Messi, who led them to triumph in 2022, when they beat France in the greatest final ever played. As in this tournament, Albiceleste were wobbly in Qatar too, losing their first game against Saudi Arabia, squandering a two-goal lead against the Netherlands, and then doing the same against France.
They were carried through, to a considerable extent, by the interminable genius of Messi, and here in the US it has largely been the same. Indeed, Argentina have scored 12 goals at this tournament, and Messi has directly scored eight of those. He has also created two more, which means he has been involved in 10 of his team’s 12 goals scored.
In the same vein, England have Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, who have performed at elite level so far. Thomas Tuchel’s side have scored 13 goals so far in this tournament. Kane and Bellingham combined have scored 12 of those – six each. The other one was scored by Marcus Rashford.
Judging by this, these sets of players might be the ones to decide a high-stakes affair that holds the ticket to a final against either France or Spain. Kane and Bellingham may be able to produce the magic required, unless Messi’s genius is mighty enough to eclipse both of them.
If matters have to be decided by penalties, both teams have goalkeepers equally outstanding in keeping the ball out from 12 yards.
