ATLANTA — The celebrity turnout for Wednesday’s World Cup semifinal between England and Argentina was borderline overwhelming. David Beckham rolled in with the whole family — wife Victoria, kids Romeo, Harper, Cruz and Cruz’s partner Jackie Apostel. Mick Jagger was there too, mixing in with a crowd that included Louis Tomlinson and his girlfriend Zara McDermott, plus rapper 2 Chainz. Millie Bobby Brown posted a selfie from inside the stadium in an England top.
This is the game that decides who faces Spain in Sunday’s final. And the stakes had the Mercedes-Benz Stadium buzzing, even with the AC cranking. England supporters flooded into Atlanta for the matchup against the defending champions, who are led by that guy Lionel Messi — a name that made a few Three Lions fans admit to real nerves before kickoff.
More Than Just the Famous Faces
FIFA President Gianni Infantino sat next to English FA President Debbie Hewitt. Peaky Blinders actor Joe Cole was posting from his seat. And Jermaine Dupri showed up at halftime. But the most memorable video might have come from home: EastEnders star Ross Kemp, shirtless in his garden, kissing an England jersey three times before screaming “Come on England!” into his phone camera.
Alan Carr went a different route. He posted a photo from a pub wearing an England shirt with his face painted in the St. George’s Cross, holding a beer in one hand and flipping the camera off with the other. Olly Murs marked his wedding anniversary by watching the game with his wife, Amelia, eating Pizza Hut and later singing the national anthem shirtless and draped in a flag.
Back in England, pubs expected to sell an extra six million pints on Wednesday alone. Fan zones were packed. The whole country seemed to hold its breath, waiting to see if this team could get past Argentina and into the final.
What’s at Stake
The winner takes on Spain on July 19 at 3 p.m. ET. For England, it’s a shot at redemption after falling short in recent tournaments. For Argentina, it’s a chance to defend their crown. And for the celebrities crammed into those premium seats, it’s just the place to be seen. But for everyone else watching, it’s the kind of game that gets remembered for decades — or the kind that gets forgotten by halftime if Messi starts doing Messi things.
By the time the final whistle blew, Atlanta had its answer. The rest of us just had to wait for the Spanish to find out who they’d be facing.
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