World Cup Semifinals Preview: Mbappe-Messi Golden Boot Race, England-Argentina Rivalry Renewed After 21 Years

The 2026 World Cup has reached the stage where legacies get written, and this week’s semifinal doubleheader brings together four of the sport’s most decorated programs with two of the greatest individual storylines in the tournament’s history hanging in the balance. France faces Spain on Tuesday, July 14 at 3:00 p.m. ET at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and England takes on Argentina on Wednesday, July 15 at 3:00 p.m. ET at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Both matches air on FOX in English and Telemundo in Spanish, with streaming available on FOX One and Peacock for Spanish-language coverage.

The Golden Boot Race Reaches Its Breaking Point

Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi enter the semifinals locked at eight goals apiece, the tournament’s co-leaders in the race for the Golden Boot. For Mbappe, a strong showing over the next two matches would put him in position to become just the second player after Pele to win multiple World Cups before turning 27 — a generational marker that would cement his place among the sport’s all-time greats. Messi, meanwhile, has scored in every single knockout match this tournament, a run of clutch finishing that has carried Argentina through three straight elimination games. Whichever of the two finishes on top when the final whistle blows on the tournament will walk away with one of soccer’s most coveted individual honors, and both are one match away from adding a World Cup final appearance to that resume.

Neither race is settled by reputation alone. Mbappe has been the most productive scorer left in the draw, while Messi has attached his scoring form directly to Argentina’s survival, netting in matches where the margin for error was smallest. Fans following the drama in real time can check live sports betting odds as both matches approach kickoff.

France vs. Spain: A Nearly Perfect Team Against a Team of Specialists

France arrives at AT&T Stadium having won every match, a 6-0 record built on 16 goals scored and just a single goal conceded — the best defensive mark and the most prolific attack left in the field. Didier Deschamps’ side dispatched Senegal, Iraq, and Norway in group play, then rolled through Sweden (3-0), Paraguay (1-0), and Morocco (2-0) in the knockouts, with Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele scoring against Morocco in the quarterfinal. Dembele has quietly compiled five goals and two assists of his own, while Michael Olise has been the tournament’s most dangerous playmaker, racking up a tournament-high six assists — one shy of matching Pele’s all-time record for assists in a single World Cup. Behind them, William Saliba and Dayot Upamecano have anchored a defense that has made France close to unbeatable.

Spain’s path has been less about dominance and more about knowing when to strike. Luis de la Fuente’s side opened with a scoreless draw against Cape Verde before beating Saudi Arabia 4-0 and Uruguay 1-0, then handled Austria 3-0 and edged Portugal 1-0 in the Round of 16. The quarterfinal against Belgium came down to the final minutes, with substitute Mikel Merino scoring an 88th-minute winner in a 2-1 victory — making him the first player in World Cup history to score the winning goal off the bench in two consecutive knockout matches, having also netted the difference-maker against Portugal. Pedri and Rodri have controlled midfield throughout, while Lamine Yamal — who scored just once, against Saudi Arabia — has been noticeably quieter than his electric Euro 2024 and Nations League form.

History gives this matchup extra weight. France and Spain have squared off 38 times, with Spain holding an 18-13 edge (seven draws) and a 71-44 advantage in goals scored across the series. The two nations have met at the World Cup only once before, in 2006, when France won a Round of 16 clash 3-1. Recent history tilts toward Spain, who beat France 5-4 in the 2025 Nations League semifinal and 2-1 in the Euro 2024 semifinal — meaning Deschamps’ side will be chasing revenge on the biggest stage yet. Bettors following the buildup can find markets through the DraftKings promo code or the FanDuel promo code.

England vs. Argentina: A Rivalry Renewed After 21 Years

The Wednesday semifinal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium carries historic weight apart from the scoreline — England and Argentina have not met in 21 years, and this long-dormant rivalry returns at the sport’s biggest possible stage. Thomas Tuchel’s England side comes in unbeaten across six matches (five wins, one draw), opening group play with a 4-2 win over Croatia, a scoreless draw with Ghana, and a 2-0 win over Panama, before beating DR Congo 2-1 in the Round of 32 and Mexico 3-2 in the Round of 16. The quarterfinal against Norway required extra time, with Jude Bellingham equalizing before scoring the extra-time winner in a 2-1 victory. Bellingham’s six goals match Harry Kane’s tournament tally, giving England a dual scoring threat up front, while Anthony Gordon has been the team’s primary creative outlet. Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson have controlled midfield, Jordan Pickford has made several key saves in the knockout rounds, and a back line of Marc Guehi, Ezri Konsa, and Reece James has held up under pressure.

Argentina’s road has been defined by dominance and drama in equal measure. Lionel Scaloni’s side breezed through Group J with a perfect record, beating Algeria, Austria, and Jordan while scoring eight goals and conceding just one. The knockout rounds were far more turbulent: Cape Verde pushed Argentina to extra time in the Round of 32 before falling 3-2, Egypt raced to a 2-0 lead in the Round of 16 before Argentina stormed back to win 3-2 with Julian Alvarez sealing it, and Switzerland forced extra time in the quarterfinal at 1-1 before Alvarez curled home a go-ahead goal and Lautaro Martinez sealed a 3-1 win. This marks Argentina’s sixth all-time World Cup semifinal appearance, and they have advanced to the final in all five previous trips.

The individual storylines run deep on both sides. Messi has scored in every knockout match Argentina has played, tying him with Mbappe atop the Golden Boot standings, while Lautaro Martinez brings the form of a 22-goal club season at Inter Milan into the biggest games of his international career. Julian Alvarez has been the man for the moment in back-to-back knockout matches, and goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez — a two-time Yashin Trophy winner in 2023 and 2024 — has built a reputation for exactly this kind of high-stakes knockout football. On the other side, Cristian Romero and Lisandro Martinez will be tasked with containing Bellingham and Kane. Those tracking markets ahead of kickoff can check offers through the BetMGM promo code or the Caesars promo code.

Veterans Chasing History, Next-Gen Stars Chasing Their Moment

What ties both semifinals together is the collision of generations. Messi, in what may be his final World Cup, is one win away from another shot at the trophy that has defined his career, while Bellingham represents the next wave hoping to write his own chapter on the same stage. Mbappe is chasing a piece of history only Pele has achieved, while Merino and Alvarez have shown that impact players stepping into big moments can be just as decisive as the household names. Whichever storylines carry through to the final, these semifinals promise the individual moments and generational stakes only a World Cup can produce.