Three Lions in the World Cup Final? - England v Argentina Preview

Mon, Jul 13, 2026

England face their old rivals Argentina in the Semi-Finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup this week, as the Three Lions look to make only their second-ever World Cup Final. Argentina will be looking to take their World Championship crown defence all the way, but who will come out on top in Atlanta?

Video Transcript

Some have said that England have had an easy ride so far in the FIFA World Cup.

There is an argument to go against that, there is an argument to go for that.

But if there was an easy run, it's very much over now because England are facing off against defending world champions Argentina in the semifinal.

Here is my full preview for this match, including the lineups, my score prediction, and I'll give my thoughts in general ahead of the latest addition of one of the nastiest, one of the most vitriolic, politically-charged rivalries in world football.

If you want more information on why this is such a big rivalry between Argentina and England, I'm gonna do a separate video that will go out on both the George Howson Show and also footballchronicle.com.

I'll record that later today.

I'm not sure when it'll actually go out, but let's focus on this game itself.

If you want more information about the rivalry, head over there when it's up.

But for now, let's focus on the game itself.

Of course, the critics are always trying to put England down, saying they were lucky against Norway.

I personally disagree with that.

There were some things that went for us that were quite contentious.

There were some things that went against us that were quite contentious.

And again, for people saying that we're not exactly blowing sides away, I mean, they've been difficult games in their own right.

Norway are a good team.

Mexico are a decent side, and we're playing them in the Azteca.

I don't think there's anything to be disgraced about those two games.

I mean, you could argue DR Congo, but we still got through in the end, of course.

And Argentina haven't exactly been blowing teams apart either, let's be totally honest here.

It took until extra time for them to beat a 10-man Switzerland in the quarterfinals.

And if it wasn't for Switzerland getting that man sent off, I think Switzerland could have won that game, genuinely.

Maybe Argentina still would've come out on top if it did go to extra time.

But when they went down to 10 men, when Breel Embolo got sent off for that stupid second yellow card, they were in the ascendancy.

They were looking like the better side really at that point were Switzerland.

And of course, it was still 1-1.

Argentina also relied on a really, really controversial winner against Egypt.

Very controversial happenings in that game.

So much so, I mean, don't take my word for it, take the word of the Egyptian coach.

The Egyptian FA have put in a formal complaint to FIFA.

They are accusing them of bias in favor of Argentina.

And there is a genuine conspiracy theory going around online that says that Argentina are preordained to win this World Cup.

I'm not gonna get into the theories about that.

I've already had my say on that, guys.

I think some of the decisions in that game against Egypt were scandalous.

Were they necessarily down to a conspiracy within FIFA?

I'll let you decide.

But again, even in the round of 32, I mean, admittedly Cape Verde are very good.

You know, they really, really played with their hearts on their sleeves.

They really did their nation proud, of course.

But it still took them until extra time, and they still scored two goals against them.

This Argentina side, particularly in defense, I think is very frail.

I think it's very much there to be had.

But you could argue the same of England as well.

I mean, our defense has not exactly been watertight, and we easily could've been 2-0 down against Norway in the first half.

As it was, we weren't, we rode our luck you could say, and we eventually won the match, albeit again in extra time.

And I think the energy-sapping game, of course against Norway, that's not going to help England either.

What will help both teams though is that this is being played in Atlanta, Georgia, and this is one of the air-conditioned stadiums like we had with Dallas earlier in the tournament.

So this game should not be too energy-sapping.

However, the one in the previous round, particularly for England down in Miami, Florida, that was energy-sapping.

But who's gonna start this game?

Let's have a look at the lineups.

England are technically the home team in this draw, so we will go through them first.

I've gone for the usual 4-2-3-1 that Thomas Tuchel loves to use for his three-line side.

Jordan Pickford in goal.

Nico O'Reilly, he has been a fixture at left back so far this tournament.

I've gone with Marc Guehi and John Stones at center back.

And at right back I've gone with Reece James.

Now, Reece James of course came off the bench against Norway, his first involvement in the tournament since I think the opening games, or the first few games anyway, in the group.

He came on as a center mid.

I think he played some of the game at right back as well.

He is naturally a right back.

Ezri Konsa deputized there in the previous game against Norway.

Kwanza is still suspended.

Of course, he had a two-match suspension.

Of course, he had a two-match suspension after the sending off against Mexico.

That's a whole controversy in itself.

Let's not get into that during this video.

So if James is deemed to be fit to start, and I think he probably will be, I'd be surprised if he doesn't start at right back to be honest.

Although that is a very difficult position to start in after not playing that much football recently.

Some might say that Jed Spence would be better suited to start, but I personally think he'd be much better as an impact sub.

He did such a good job when he came off the bench last time against Norway, and some people might say that that is a, a reason to start him.

And I see what you're saying there, but I do think that he really worked well as an impact sub, so I'd rather have him coming off the bench to be honest.

Center of midfield, I mean, Anderson I think is 100% gonna start.

Declan Rice I'm not overly sure.

I mean, I think he'll start, but I think he'll also come off partway through the game.

Of course, he's been suffering with illness.

He looked really, really tired in the game at Miami.

Tuchel took him off.

He said it was a tactical sub, but he also said that he couldn't, he couldn't finish the game as well.

So I do think that Rice will start this match, but I don't think he's gonna finish it.

We might see James going to the center midfield position.

Attacking midfielders, I've gone with Bellingham at attacking midfield.

I mean, he's been fantastic this tournament, hasn't he?

I think he's scored as many goals as Harry Kane now in this tournament.

Absolutely fantastic.

Captain Kane of course has to start up top as well.

Left wing, I mean, you've gotta go with Gordon.

Gotten another assist of course in the previous game against Norway.

He's been really, really dangerous down that left-hand side.

And I've put Saka at right midfield.

I mean, Madueke I've not been impressed with at all this tournament.

You can't start Madueke against Argentina surely.

Saka was I mean, he wasn't amazing when he came off the bench, but he still did something So I'd rather have Saka there personally.

I think he's gonna cause their defense a lot of problems, a lot more problems than what Madueke would be able to anyway.

Argentina, we'll talk about them as well, their starting lineup.

Emi Martinez, of course he's gonna start in goal.

I don't really see that changing anytime soon.

Some question marks around left back, but I've gone with the mentality of you wanna put a strong side out, you wanna go for the team that you know can win you games.

So I've kept Tagliafico there at left back, Molina at right back as well, Martinez and Romero at center back as well.

And I've gone with a 4-1-3-2 formation that's usually used by Argentina.

Again, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Paredes in defensive midfield.

Enzo Fernandez in center midfield, maybe attacking midfield.

Depends on what kind of formation they go for.

Alexis Mac Allister, of course he popped up with a headed goal, rare thing for him, in the previous game against Switzerland.

He will most likely start as well.

And Rodrigo De Paul on the right midfield as well.

Mac Allister, by the way, on the left, just to emphasize that, just to make that absolutely clear.

Up top it's a dynamic duo of a certain Lionel Messi and also Julian Alvarez.

Alvarez scored an absolute worldie in the previous game against Switzerland.

Hopefully he does not repeat that on Wednesday night against England.

So who's gonna win?

Well, I mean, this is basically flip a coin for me.

These two sides are really evenly matched.

On paper I would say England are the better side, but of course Argentina are winners.

They are winners of the World Cup.

And of course there's gonna be some people saying, "Well, the referees are biased in their favor."

I'm not gonna wane on that here on the channel, guys, but let's just say there have been some really favorable decisions for Argentina.

Although, of course, many people have said the same thing about England.

Weirdly, usually Scottish people saying stuff like that.

Wonder why.

Not like they're bitter or anything, is it?

Anyway, so yeah, I'm I've gotta go with England.

You know I have.

I think like the Spain and France game though, this could go all the way.

Check out our preview of that game if you haven't already, of course, guys.

Would appreciate it.

But I think it's gonna be similar to the France and Spain game in that it's gonna be very close, it's gonna be very tight, it's gonna be very nervy, it's gonna be a long night.

Not looking forward to it in that sense.

I think it's gonna be another long, long night unfortunately for us.

So I'm gonna go with 1-0 in regulation time.

I'm going to go with 2-2 in extra time.

And I hope I'm wrong, because my goodness me, my nerves were shot watching us against Norway, and we were winning.

It didn't even go to penalties.

We were winning that game.

And I'm gonna go England to win it on penalties.

Of course we've been great at penalties now for a little while, and we've got a German in charge.

It's a rec- it's a recipe for success in the penalty shootout.

It's gotta be.

Ivan Toney coming off the bench.

No-look penalty.

You heard it here first.

But yeah, those are my thoughts, guys.

Let me know yours in the comments below.

I'm sure many people will disagree with me on this, but I've gotta back my boys.

I've gotta back my boys.

Who am I predicting to meet us in the World Cup final though?

You'll have to watch my other preview of France against Spain to know that.

Like, share, comment, and subscribe as always, guys, and let's hope for a great game.

Let's hope for a really great game, everybody to be safe, no controversy in the stands, none of that.

Very wishful thinking, I know, I know.

But you know, we can hope about these things at the end of the day.

See you soon, guys.

Have a good one, and hopefully I'll be speaking to you on Thursday, maybe even late Wednesday night, feeling rather happy about England making only our second ever World Cup final.