The storied rivalry between England and Argentina, steeped in a complex history of conflicts and political tensions that date back to the British invasions of the early 19th century, continues to captivate football fans. This longstanding competition is not just about sport; it embodies a rich tapestry of national pride and historical animosities.
Often labeled the only transcontinental derby, this rivalry ignites enthusiasm among Argentine players, particularly when they reflect on their matches against England. Diego Simeone, now the manager of Atlético Madrid, has a particular fondness for these encounters, having gained notoriety for his role during the 1998 World Cup.
“I love playing against the English,” Simeone recounted in a 2002 interview at his opulent villa in Rome, shortly before a World Cup match between the two nations. “English football is always more open, aggressive and passionate. Whether you win or lose against English teams, you always feel it’s been a proper contest. The first time I played against them was at Wembley in 1991 …” He then pointed to a scar on his shin from that match, stating, “I’ve still got a souvenir from Stuart Pearce from that day. Great game.”
The iconic matchup in the 1998 World Cup’s round of 16 was especially significant, marking the first World Cup meeting since Diego Maradona’s notorious ‘hand of God’ goal in 1986. Once again, England was outmaneuvered by Argentine cunning, notably Simeone’s clever tactics. However, he regards this match as a standout international encounter.
“It is the best international match I’ve played in,” Simeone reminisced. “They [England] were incredible that night. Alan Shearer and Paul Ince were extraordinary. At times it seemed Shearer was fighting us on his own. You have to remember they played for 70 minutes with 10 men.”
While Simeone’s account seems to gloss over his significant role in Beckham’s sending off, he did acknowledge the backlash Beckham faced, who became the target of intense criticism after receiving a red card. Headlines like “Ten heroic Lions, one stupid boy” appeared, and an effigy of Beckham was hung outside a London pub in mockery.
“It’s not that it frightens me but it’s a wakeup call for everyone, including journalists. You have to be careful. “It was not just my fault. There’s a ref involved, too. I guess David had a torrid few months after that. The press were putting all the blame on him. I don’t think that was at all fair. He just made a mistake, an instinctive reaction.” Simeone responded when I brought up the aftermath. “Bumped into an old friend”
“There was no fear in him whatsoever,”
Interestingly, Simeone and Beckham were recently spotted together in Miami during Argentina’s match against Cape Verde, with Beckham posting, “When Michael turns, runs and beats the first couple of players, I remember thinking: ‘Bloody hell! He’s clean through!’ But [Argentine defender] Roberto Ayala was so deep, he was almost on the D of the penalty area and I hadn’t seen him. But as soon as Ayala squared up to him, it was clear he didn’t have a clue how much pace Michael had.” on Instagram.
While Argentina cherishes Maradona’s second goal in 1986, widely considered the greatest ever, England can take pride in Michael Owen’s stunning solo goal in the same tournament. At just 18 years old, Owen later discussed the moment with Glenn Hoddle, England’s manager at the time, during a 20th-anniversary reflection on the match. “Becks [Beckham] played the initial ball to me and one of their midfielders was only a couple of yards away from me. I just thought that, if I took a good touch, I could run past him and start an attack. It was only after the first touch, which I took in my stride, that I looked up and thought: ‘Oh my God – there’s a goal on here!’ “As soon as I saw Ayala, who was isolated deeper, it was a case of making the best chance to shoot. You don’t want to go too close to him and get tackled. You don’t want to push it too flat and make the angle too hard. Then it was just about the finish.” Hoddle remarked. “He was only 18 and we hadn’t seen him play. It was a pleasant surprise for the fans [but] not for us.”
Owen concurred, adding, “I thought: ‘Oh, here comes the yellow’, but suddenly the red came out. And I’m thinking: ‘What on earth is going on here?’ It was never in a million years a sending-off. Becks knows he did the wrong thing and that at that level they’ll make it into something else, which they did. But you need strong refereeing.”
“Sometimes you have to be a bit cunning and sometimes you play the fool. I happened to be the intelligent one. Beckham did nothing to me.”
Simeone admitted that Argentina had underestimated Owen, who was making his England debut that year. “It’s almost like I’m living it again. It’s so deep,” he confessed. “It scarred me. I’m looking down into the corner flag where Michael’s on Sol’s back. There’s about five players celebrating. Suddenly I saw Ray Clemence, the goalkeeping coach. He looks back towards the pitch and says: ‘What the fuck is going on?’ My eyes go back to the pitch and they’re attacking. It’s like a nightmare.”
Regarding the controversial red card issued by Danish referee Kim Milton Nielsen, Hoddle expressed his incredulity.
“How Argentina didn’t score from that was amazing. I think it was 11 against four!”
In a subsequent interview, Simeone reflected, “You could have been forgiven for mistaking them as fans,”
The climax of the match intensified when Sol Campbell scored what appeared to be a decisive goal in the 81st minute, only for it to be disallowed due to a challenge on Shearer. The England team celebrated, while Argentina continued to press, threatening David Seaman’s goal.
“They were jumping up and down like madmen.” Hoddle recalled two decades later. “Knocking out England, with all the history that goes with that, was a huge joy,”
Owen added, “I could have stayed on my feet, the defender’s caught me and I did have a decent gash down my shin from it – but I could have stayed up,”
In the end, England faced a heartbreaking 4-3 defeat in the penalty shootout. The Argentinian players celebrated their hard-fought victory with unrestrained joy. After the match, the two team buses were side by side outside the Saint-Étienne stadium, with the Argentinian squad reveling in their triumph over their historic rivals. “When Maradona scored the hand of God goal, my father shouted ‘handball’. I told my dad: ‘No, it’s a good goal.’ I just didn’t see it. Maradona was so quick. But the second goal proved he was the greatest player in the world.” John Gorman, Hoddle’s assistant at the time, noted. “In Argentina, when we played in the street as a kid we didn’t call it football,”
Simeone acknowledged the importance of this victory, stating, “We call it jugar a la pelota [playing with the ball]. It’s prettier than football. It’s about beating players, dribbling, showing off. Football is something more professional, more serious and disciplined. In Argentina, dribbling past three players is the ultimate.”
In a twist of fate, revenge came in 2002 when England displayed their improved skills in these encounters. England secured a 1-0 victory in Sapporo, with David Beckham netting the penalty awarded after Michael Owen was fouled by Mauricio Pochettino, an Argentinian defender not widely recognized in England at that time. When asked about the incident, Pochettino humorously stated, “For sure it was a dive.”
“I could have stayed on my feet; the defender caught me and I did have a decent gash down my shin from it – but I could have stayed up,” Owen admitted.
Yet, nothing encapsulates the dual nature of Argentinian football—its artistry and cunning—quite like Maradona’s legendary moment in 1986. Simeone, then a teenager, fondly recalled watching that memorable match with his father.
“When Maradona scored the hand of God goal, my father shouted ‘handball’. I told my dad: ‘No, it’s a good goal.’ I just didn’t see it. Maradona was so quick. But the second goal proved he was the greatest player in the world.”
Simeone enthusiastically discussed the significance of that second goal. “In Argentina, when we played in the street as kids, we didn’t call it football,” he shared. “We call it jugar a la pelota [playing with the ball]. It’s prettier than football. It’s about beating players, dribbling, showing off. Football is something more professional, more serious, and disciplined. In Argentina, dribbling past three players is the ultimate.”
And when Maradona scored the goal of the century against England? “That,” said Simeone, “was jugar a la pelota.”
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