Lionel Messi – perhaps the greatest footballer of all time – has done lots of things. He’s Argentina’s youngest and oldest goal scorer; he holds the record for World Cup goals; and he’s won the Ballon d’Or more than anyone else, a record eight times. But he’s never played against England. That’s all about to change as Argentina face off with England in the semi-final on Wednesday 15 July. To hear our full predictions for this uber-historic match, listen to the full episode of Copa Independent on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or watch on YouTube.

DANIEL MATTHEWS IN KANSAS CITY: What a night it should be and what a glorious quirk of Messi's marathon international career, the 39-year-old has never faced England.

Head coach expects to face ‘a very tough opponent’ in the semi-finals as the sides meet for first time since 2005 with a World Cup final spot on the line

Argentina has developed habit of dramatic ties and history against England is no exception