- England face Lionel Messi for the first time as they take on Argentina in the World Cup semi-final.
- Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in history, Messi has won numerous individual accolades, including eight Ballons d'Or and six European Golden Shoes.
- He is the most decorated player in professional football, having won 46 team trophies throughout his career including the 2022 World Cup with Argentina.
- Messi holds multiple scoring records, including most goals in a calendar year (91) and for a single club (672 for Barcelona), contributing to over 1,320 goals and assists in total.
- The Argentina captain is aged 39, playing in the World Cup possibly the last time.
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