On that occasion, David Beckham’s penalty just before half-time at the Sapporo Dome – awarded after Mauricio Pochettino had fouled Michael Owen – secured a memorable 1-0 victory for the Three Lions.
It was a hugely cathartic moment for Beckham, whose sending off for kicking out at Diego Simeone four years earlier had proven so costly as England were dumped out of the last 16 on penalties by Argentina after a thrilling 2-2 draw in Saint-Etienne that featured the most iconic goal of Owen’s career as an 18-year-old.
That 1998 clash was of course 12 years after the 1986 quarter-final in Mexico, when Diego Maradona broke English hearts at the Estadio Azteca with his infamous ‘Hand of God’ – which was promptly followed by arguably the greatest goal in World Cup history.
England and Argentina have met only once since 2002, with England winning 3-2 in a friendly in Geneva in November 2005 after Owen’s dramatic late brace.
Weather warning: France’s Group I meeting with Iraq was delayed by two hours due to storms in Philadelphia
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England vs Argentina weather forecast
The second World Cup 2026 semi-final kicks off in the UK at 8pm BST on Wednesday, which, with the five-hour time difference, is 2pm local time in Atlanta.
The current weather forecast in Atlanta is for warm, humid weather and high temperatures of around 29 degrees – which will feel more like 39 degrees.
Comfortable experience: The Atlanta Stadium has a fully enclosed retractable roof and is air-conditioned
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There is the chance of thunderstorms in the area right around the time of kick-off, at 2pm and 3pm, according to the BBC.
It is very important to note that Atlanta Stadium – AKA Mercedes-Benz Stadium – has a fully enclosed retractable roof, which will be shut for the game.
While that means the game itself won’t be delayed once it is underway, it remains to be seen if storms in the area could possibly push back the two teams travelling from their respective hotels to the stadium – as England experienced en route to the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City last week.
Atlanta Stadium – the 68,239-capacity home of the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United of MLS – is also fully air-conditioned, meaning spectators, coaches, players and officials will all be protected from the searing Georgia heat.
