England and Argentina will write a new chapter in one of football’s most storied rivalries when they face off in Atlanta on Wednesday for a place in the World Cup final.

Remarkably, it will mark the first time Lionel Messi plays a part in it.

At 39, the Argentina legend will face England for the first time in his glittering career, locking horns with a fellow No.10 whose World Cup contribution has been equally impressive. 

Just like Messi, Jude Bellingham has been inspirational in the Three Lions’ run to the final four. And Wednesday’s match may well be determined by which of the two has the biggest say on the day.

“We know how good Messi is,” England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford said of the Argentina great, whose enduring brilliance has been on show again even at the age of 39.

“He’s scored so many goals and contributed to so many goals as well throughout his career, it’s great to finally go up against him,” Pickford said. 

Read more‘Just a football game’: England and Argentina to renew bitter rivalry in World Cup semi-final

Messi is already considered by many to be the greatest football player of all time and he seems to be on a mission to settle the debate about where he stands in the history of the sport. 

Already the all-time top scorer in the World Cup with 21 goals, he could surpass Argentina icon Diego Maradona by leading his country to back-to-back world titles. 

His eight goals in the tournament so far have been pivotal to Argentina’s run and his moments of magic have dragged his team through big scares against Cape Verde and Egypt. 

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“It’s just incredible his campaign, this tournament, how he carries that team it’s just absolutely incredible,” England coach Thomas Tuchel said of Messi. “There are no words (…) left for this kind of achievement, the responsibility and the quality that he shows again in this tournament.”

‘World-class’

Argentina’s World Cup triumph in 2022 saw Messi emulate Maradona by captaining his country to the title. Maradona lifted the trophy in 1986 and was runner-up with Argentina four years later when it lost to West Germany in the final.

“Trying to draw inspiration from what Diego did is difficult. Only Leo can do that,” said Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister. “Diego is a national icon for us, and hopefully, we can achieve something similar to what that team did.”

England have a talismanic No.10 of their own in the form of Bellingham, who is at the opposite end of his career to Messi. 

At the age of 23, Real Madrid star Bellingham is already playing in his second World Cup and his fourth major tournament for England. He has six goals, including two each in the last two rounds against Mexico and Norway. 

Read moreWorld Cup 2026: Bellingham’s brace sends England past Norway to semi-finals

Not bad for a player who was dropped by Tuchel in the lead-up to the World Cup, prompting debate about whether he’d even be in England’s starting XI. 

There is no doubt anymore about a player who Tuchel described as “world-class” after two goals against Norway in the quarterfinals.

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Bellingham and captain Harry Kane, who also has six goals, have spearheaded England’s run to the semi-finals. 

Tuchel said the duo had delivered “like crazy” at the World Cup. 

It is Bellingham, however, who has provided the biggest moments in the last two games.

“We all strongly believe it’s a team sport and no one is doing it alone, but of course we are also relying on the world-class moments of world-class players,” Tuchel said.

A storied rivalry

Both England and Argentina will need to find a way to limit the impact of each other’s big stars. 

Tuchel said he had considered trying to man-mark Messi by deploying one player to shadow him throughout the game. 

“Everyone knows the spaces where he wants to show up. If you analyse the matches, you feel like he sees stuff just earlier than anyone else on the field,” Tuchel said. “I think we found some patterns in their game, but if you close the patterns he will find maybe a new one and create a new one. That’s a super strength. That’s just what it is.”

If Messi is the main focus of England’s attention, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has to contend with the double threat of Bellingham and Kane. 

“We’re facing great players, two of the best in the world,” Scaloni said. “We will try our best to neutralize them. We have our weapons and we will try to prevent them from having a good game.”

England vs. Argentina is a fierce rivalry that goes beyond the soccer field, with tensions also relating to the 1982 conflict over the Falkland Islands. 

Read morePelé’s third, Baggio’s miss and the ‘Hand of God’: Iconic World Cups in Mexico and the US

Maradona scored his infamous “Hand of God” goal in 1986 – and England also felt aggrieved when David Beckham was sent off for kicking out against Diego Simeone in 1998 before losing in a penalty shootout. 

“If a fixture provides so many iconic moments you cannot just say it’s just another football match, but as a coach we do exactly that,” Tuchel said. “We don’t speak about the historic events. We don’t speak about the iconic moments.”

One of those iconic moments was Maradona’s second goal in the 2-1 win against England in the quarterfinals win in 1986 when he dribbled the ball from the halfway line before scoring. 

“That will be forever in our hearts. It was just such a beautiful goal,” Scaloni said. “It was just a coincidence that it was against England, but had it been against anybody else, it would have been just as beautiful.”

(FRANCE 24 with AP)

The Captain Stede Bonnet side quest in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced follows Edward as he investigates what happened to Stede Bonnet and uncovers his fate. You can access the Captain Stede Bonnet side quest only after completing the “Marooned” main quest in Sequence 8.

Stede Bonnet sends a letter to Edward stating that he is being held in the Charles-Towne Jail. In it, he also asks Edward to recover his provisions that are stored inside the ship’s cabin, which is now stuck on a Mystery Island.

Read on to learn how to complete the Captain Stede Bonnet side quest in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced.

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced: Captain Stede Bonnet side quest walkthrough

Locate Stede’s ship

After the cutscene is over, sail through the Caribbean until you reach the highlighted marker where you need to dock your ship. Once ashore, leave the ship and head towards the coordinates 906,122 to locate Stede’s ship. You’ll find the boat, The Revenge, stranded on Mystery Island with no crew.

Investigate Stede’s wreck

Climb aboard the boat, and you’ll find the entrance below deck is locked. Shortly after, a group of pirates, who are actually members of Stede’s Crew, will appear and prepare to fight.

However, Edward will quickly explain that he is not there for a fight; he is Bonnet’s friend and is looking for his Crew. Realising and recognising Edward, they will ask him to join them at the nearby camp.

Read more: Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced modern day and ending explained

Speak with Stede’s Crew

After speaking to Rowland Sharp, he explains that after the Major sent them there, a mutiny broke out. The traitors stole the key to the Major’s cabin below deck and have taken all the provisions for themselves. Since then, they have been holding them off. Immediately after, one of the crew members informs you that the mutineers are further down the shore, gathering for an attack.

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Follow the loyalists

Kill all Mutineers to get the key (Image via Ubisoft || YouTube@postmodeorg)

Follow the in-charge to visit the shoreline where the Mutineers are already waiting. Fight with them, kill them one by one with the help of Stede’s Crew to finally get the Key in the Captain Stede Bonnet side quest.

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Kill the British

Although all of the Mutineers have been killed, Edward still senses that there may be more enemies somewhere. After a while, a British ship arrives there to seize Bonnet’s property. Wait there for the British crew to arrive from the sea, and kill them one by one. Once that’s done, follow the loyalists back to Stede’s wreck.

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Explore Stede’s Cabin

After a short cutscene, explore Stede’s cabin to find a letter and a sword lying on the table. The letter reveals that Stede is set to be hanged the following day on charges of piracy. After reading it, you’ll also find Stede’s portrait nearby.

Also read: All Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced Steam collectibles and how to get them

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Hang Stede’s portrait

Now you need to take the portrait to your manor and look for a spot in the basement to hang it. This will conclude the Captain Stede Bonnet side quest.

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