The World Cup semifinal between England and Argentina kicked off Tuesday night with the kind of noise you can’t manufacture. Both national anthems got drowned out by jeering, singing, and general hostility from opposing fans. It was loud, it was tense, and it was exactly what you’d expect from a matchup between two teams that genuinely don’t like each other.
God Save the King barely made it through the stadium speakers before Argentina supporters started whistling and shouting over it. Then Argentina’s anthem got the same treatment from England fans. The players on both sides kept singing, but the TV microphones mostly picked up the crowd instead. BBC commentator Guy Mowbray called it “something a little bit different.” That’s one way to put it.
A rivalry that runs deep
This isn’t just another World Cup game. England and Argentina have a long history of bad blood, dating back to the Falklands War and the Diego Maradona handball goal in 1986. Even outside the stadium, there have been small clashes between fans in the U.S. in the days leading up to the match. Security at the venue was reportedly the heaviest of any game in the tournament so far.
Alan Shearer, the former England striker working as a co-commentator, didn’t sugarcoat it. “These two sets of fans don’t like each other,” he said. “That’s fine.” He wasn’t wrong. The atmosphere was more like a boxing crowd than a soccer match. Both sides came ready to make noise, and neither was about to show respect for the other’s anthem.
What’s at stake
The winner gets Spain in the final on Sunday in New Jersey. Spain beat France 2-0 on Tuesday night to punch their ticket first. So whoever comes out of this semifinal will have three days to prepare for a Spanish team that’s already rested and waiting.
For England, it’s a chance to finally get back to a World Cup final after falling short in recent tournaments. For Argentina, it’s another shot at glory with a squad that still carries some of the Messi era magic, even if he’s not the same player he was in 2022. The stakes are high, the tension is real, and the anthems were just the opening act.
The game itself started with both teams pressing hard, no feeling-out period. Argentina had the first real chance in the 8th minute, but England’s defense held. It’s the kind of match that could go either way, and neither fanbase is going to be quiet about it until the final whistle blows.
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