• Summary
• Kane and Bellingham have scored 12 of England’s 13 tournament goals
• Declan Rice spent most of the previous three days in bed ill, Tuchel said
• England reached a second semi-final in three World Cups after their 2018 exit

 

England’s reward for another display of resilience ​at the World Cup is a semi-final against old rivals Argentina, a fixture laden with history and one that offers Thomas Tuchel’s side the ‌chance to move within one game of ending a 60-year wait.

A day after overcoming Norway 2-1 in extra time to reach the last four, England found themselves preparing for a meeting with the reigning champions, adding another chapter to one of the World Cup’s most enduring rivalries.

England have reached the semi-finals for the second time in the last three tournaments, having fallen to Croatia in ​extra time at Russia 2018. Their only appearance in a World Cup final came in 1966, when they lifted the trophy on home soil.

Tuchel’s ​side have forged their run through a blend of star quality and sheer determination, twice coming from behind in the knockout ⁠phase to keep their tournament alive. The coach believes this has become a defining trait of his team.

“They just refuse to give in. They just refuse ​to accept defeat,” Tuchel said. “They overcome setbacks. They put a shift in. There is not one 1% complaint about that.”

Yet Tuchel tempered the celebrations with a warning ​that England have room for improvement.

“To overcome adversity and find ways to win is on the absolutely highest level,” he said. “We found a way, we’re in the last four, which is the most important thing. But I still think we can and have to play better football.”

England’s progress has been driven largely by the partnership of captain Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham. The ​two have each scored six of England’s 13 goals at the tournament — the first pair of teammates to net that many goals each at a World Cup. Bellingham ​heads to Atlanta in ominous form after scoring four goals in his last two matches.

“World-class performance from a world-class player in big, big moments,” Tuchel said. “Absolute top class.”

England forward Noni ‌Madueke suggested ⁠such displays have become routine for the Real Madrid man.

“It’s unbelievable what he’s doing,” Madueke said. “It’s very normal though for him.”

The squad were pushed to their limits by Norway, with players suffering cramp and illness in searing conditions.

Tuchel revealed that midfielder Declan Rice, who did not play the second half on Saturday, had spent most of the previous three days in bed ill. Madueke said results were all that mattered, however.

“Listen, if we play like this and win the next two games, I don’t ​mind. I’m not bothered,” he said.

History provides ​ample evidence of the challenge ahead. ⁠The teams have met five times previously at World Cups: England beat Argentina in 1962 and 1966 before Diego Maradona’s infamous “Hand of God” goal and brilliant solo effort inspired Argentina’s victory at Mexico 1986.

Argentina edged a last-16 tie on penalties in ​1998 — remembered for Michael Owen’s wonder goal and David Beckham’s red card — before Beckham gained revenge by scoring the ​winner in England’s 1-0 ⁠group-stage triumph in 2002 in Japan.

England’s most recent major tournament semi-final ended more happily, with Ollie Watkins’ late winner securing a 2-1 victory over the Netherlands at Euro 2024 to send England into the final. Now they face another formidable test against Lionel Scaloni’s world champions, with a place in the 2026 final at stake.

Tuchel admitted the emotional demands ⁠of tournament ​football are unlike anything he has experienced as a club manager, but said there was nowhere ​else he would rather be.

“I feel very alive in these moments,” he said. “This is where I want to be. I don’t want to be anywhere else in the world.”

England, carried by the brilliance of ​Kane and Bellingham and a growing belief they can survive anything, will hope that feeling lasts at least one game longer.

-Reuters

 

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France are not afraid of Spain going into their World Cup semi-final on Tuesday, defender Ibrahima Konate said on Sunday, but they are conscious of ​their opponents’ quality and their near-perfect backline.

Spain have conceded only one goal in ‌the entire tournament to reach the last four in search of a second World Cup title.

France, winners in 2018 and finalists four years ago, know Spain very well, having lost to them in the Euro 2024 last ​four and also in last year’s Nations League semi-finals.

“You cannot fear anyone,” France centre-back ​Konate told a press conference. “We will now prepare as best as possible ⁠and hope the result in the end will favour us.”

“Spain are an exceptional team, with ​a lot of individual quality, so we won’t be focusing on just one player even though ​Lamine (Yamal) is a great player,” said Konate, who had a brief substitute appearance in the win over Norway in their final group match.

Dayot Upamecano and William Saliba have been France’s starting centre-backs, as the tournament favourites eye ​their fifth World Cup final.

The French have reached four of the last seven World Cup ​finals. Should they take part in the July 19 showdown in New York, they will sustain the comparison ‌with West ⁠Germany, arguably the ultimate tournament nation with four finals between 1974 and 1990.

But Konate said the French were not wasting any thoughts on what might be.

“We are staying humble, we won’t fall into that trap,” he said.

They will need to find a way to break down this ​World Cup’s most effective ​backline, as well as ⁠contain as much as possible Lamine’s runs down the wings.

“I would not say ‘fear ‘, but we are conscious of their quality,” said fellow France centre-back ​Maxence Lacroix. “They have won all their matches (except a 0-0 draw against ​Cape Verde in ⁠the group), so we respect them. They have high-quality players, but we want to win.”

Top of the list is Spain winger Lamine, who has earned praise from his coach for keeping opponents’ ⁠defenders ​busy as teammates use the spaces created.

“We will defend well, ​the best,” Lacroix said. “Lamine is a very good player, and he has shown he can hurt teams at this World ​Cup. We will do the work that is needed.”

-Reuters

 

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The 2026 FIFA World Cup has produced a historic semi-final line-up that reflects the current balance of power in world football.

For the first time since the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking was introduced in December 1992 and began to be widely used from 1994, the world’s top four ranked national teams have all reached the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup.

The last four teams standing in the United States, Canada and Mexico are:

1. Argentina
2. Spain
3. France
4. England

The semi-final fixtures will see Spain take on France, while England face defending champions Argentina in what promises to be two blockbuster encounters.

The achievement is remarkable because the World Cup has traditionally been a tournament where rankings are often disrupted by surprise packages, giant-killers and unexpected eliminations.

Yet, in 2026, the competition has followed the script written by the FIFA Rankings, with the world’s four highest-ranked teams successfully navigating a 48-team tournament to reach the final four.

Argentina, the reigning world champions, booked their place after overcoming a stubborn Switzerland side in extra time. Lionel Messi’s men remain on course to become the first nation since Brazil in 1962 to successfully defend the World Cup trophy.

England secured their semi-final ticket with a dramatic 2-1 extra-time victory over Norway, inspired by a Jude Bellingham double. The Three Lions continue their pursuit of a first World Cup triumph since lifting the trophy on home soil in 1966.

Spain advanced after edging Belgium 2-1 in Los Angeles, maintaining their impressive campaign under a youthful and dynamic squad that has emerged as one of the tournament’s most complete teams.

France, meanwhile, eliminated Morocco 2-0 in Boston to remain firmly on course for a second World Cup title in three tournaments and a third overall.

The unprecedented semi-final line-up has delighted statisticians and football analysts alike, as it represents perhaps the clearest evidence yet of the growing influence and accuracy of the FIFA Rankings in measuring elite international teams.

With four former world champions still in contention and a combined total of 10 World Cup titles among them, the 2026 tournament is guaranteed to produce a heavyweight conclusion.

Bet9ja Fact File

• First FIFA Rankings published: December 1992
• First World Cup played under FIFA Rankings era: USA 1994
• 2026 Semi-finalists: Argentina, Spain, France, England
• Combined World Cup titles: 10
  • Argentina – 3
  • France – 2
  • England – 1
  • Spain – 1
• Historic first: Never before have the world’s top four ranked nations all reached the World Cup semi-finals in the FIFA Rankings era.
• Semi-final fixtures:
  • France vs Spain
  • England vs Argentina

As the tournament enters its decisive week, the road to the trophy has become a battle among the game’s most highly rated nations, ensuring that the 2026 FIFA World Cup will conclude with a clash of football’s modern superpowers.

 

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