Kansas City, Mo. -- Argentina's Lionel Messi is set for his first-ever match against England in a high-stakes World Cup semi-final in Atlanta.
The 39-year-old legend has faced every other World Cup-winning nation during his storied career but has never met the Three Lions on the pitch.
The closest encounter was a 2005 friendly in Geneva, which Argentina lost 3-2. Messi did not play after being sent off in his international debut.
Messi called the upcoming match "special" against a "great team," acknowledging the physical toll after Argentina's third consecutive dramatic knockout victory, a 3-1 extra-time win over Switzerland.
The match is billed as a historic clash in a rivalry defined by sporting drama and political tension.