Spain have already secured their place in the 2026 World Cup final, and now all that remains is to find out who will be their opponent. Argentina, led by captain Lionel Messi, take on England in the other semifinal in Atlanta with plenty of secrecy still surrounding both teams’ starting lineups.
Lionel Scaloni is reportedly planning to make a few changes to the team that defeated Switzerland in the quarterfinals. The Three Lions, meanwhile, endured a physically demanding battle against Norway, leaving several players with fitness concerns heading into this crucial game.
With Harry Kane denying rumors of a broken locker room, England are looking to reach a long-awaited World Cup final. Argentina, the reigning champions, are hoping to replicate what they accomplished four years ago in Qatar. What happens today will decide whether Argentina or England face Spain on Sunday.
Argentina’s potential starting XI
There has been plenty of speculation surrounding potential changes to Argentina’s starting lineup following their impressive victory over Switzerland. Should Lionel Scaloni decide to tweak his tactical setup, this is the XI he might send onto the field:
Lionel Scaloni, Head Coach of Argentina.
Emiliano Martinez; Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Nicolas Otamendi, Lisandro Martinez, Nicolas Gonzalez; Leandro Paredes, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez; Lionel Messi, Julian Alvarez.
That scenario could change if the manager decides to stick with his traditional 4-4-2 formation. In that case, Argentina’s lineup could be: Emiliano Martinez; Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martinez, Nicolas Tagliafico; Leandro Paredes, Rodrigo De Paul or Giuliano Simeone, Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister; Lionel Messi and Julian Alvarez.
England’s projected starting lineup
Thomas Tuchel recently received encouraging news regarding the status of Declan Rice and Nico O’Reilly, both of whom could be available to start against Argentina. Even so, the manager has yet to confirm his lineup, which could look like this:
Jordan Pickford; Reece James, Ezri Konza, Marc Guehi or John Stones, Nico O’Reilly; Elliott Anderson, Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon; Bukayo Saka or Noni Madueke, Harry Kane.
A place in the Final
With referee Ismail Elfath in charge, this match will ultimately determine who takes on Spain on July 19 at the New York New Jersey Stadium. Whether it’s Argentina or England in the final, the winner of the 2026 tournament will be a team that already belongs to the list of all-time World Cup champions.
SurveyWho will reach the 2026 World Cup final alongside Spain?
Who will reach the 2026 World Cup final alongside Spain?
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