A man rides his bike past a mural depicting late Argentine football legend Diego Maradona and star forward Lionel Messi during a match at the 2010 World Cup, in Villa Fiorito, on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, on July 14, 2026. In a packed cinema, Argentinians applaud, weep and relive Diego Maradonas goals against England in 1986 as if they were sitting in the stands. Forty years on, with the dispute over sovereignty of the Falkland Islands still ongoing and a rivalry that extends far beyond football, the July 15 semi-final for the 2026 World Cup goes beyond the pitch. (Photo by Luis ROBAYO / AFP)
Argentina’s Alexis Mac Allister has urged his team to take inspiration from Diego Maradona as they seek to get the better of England in their World Cup semi-final on Wednesday.
The heavyweight showdown in Atlanta marks the renewal of a rivalry that peaked at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.
The late Maradona scored both of Argentina’s goals in the quarter-final — the infamous “Hand of God” opener and then a dazzling solo effort that is one of the greatest goals ever scored at a World Cup.
Argentina went on to win the trophy, an achievement they matched in 2022, with Lionel Messi the inspiration and Mac Allister in the side.
