Argentina-England in World Cup semi-finals again after 40 years
Bibhash Lodh, BS News Agency: The football world is once again going to witness a historic epic. Four decades after the legendary moments like 'Hand of God' and 'Goal of the Century' that were born in the World Cup four decades ago, the eternal rivals Argentina and England are facing each other again in the World Cup semi-finals. England has confirmed its place in the last four by defeating Norway in the quarter-finals. On the other hand, the current world champion Argentina has reached the semi-finals by defeating Switzerland 3-1. As a result, football fans are looking forward to seeing a new chapter in that historic fight of 1986. In the history of the World Cup, the Argentina-England duel is not just a fight between two football teams. It is associated with political tension, memories of the Falklands War and decades of emotions.
On June 22, 1986, the two teams faced each other in front of 114,000 spectators at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico. In the second half of the match, Diego Maradona jumped with the opposing goalkeeper Peter Shilton after the ball floated in from Steve Hodge's errant clearance. Despite being behind in height, he put the ball into the net with his left hand. Tunisian referee Ali Bin Nasser ignored England's strong protests and awarded the goal. Maradona's famous comment after the match, "A little with Maradona's head, and a little with the hand of God", has made its place in history.
From there, the most talked-about phrase in football, the "Hand of God", was born.
Just four years earlier, in 1982, the Falklands War had taken place between Argentina and the United Kingdom. As a result, for the Argentines, the goal was not just a goal, but also a reflection of symbolic revenge. A few minutes later, Maradona scored a goal from midfield, beating one England player after another, which was later recognized as the "best goal of the century". On the other hand, former England goalkeeper Peter Shilton has not forgotten the 'Hand of God' controversy. England has overcome many obstacles to reach the semi-finals under Thomas Tuchel in this World Cup. Despite midfielder Declan Rice being infected with a virus, they defeated Mexico 3-2 in the last 16 and Norway 2-1 in the quarter-finals. Jude Bellingham was the hero of the team's victory by scoring a brace in both matches. On the other hand, Lionel Scaloni's Argentina's path was not easy either. After a tough 120-minute battle against Cape Verde in the knockout stage, they defeated Egypt in the last 16. Then, in the quarter-finals, the Albiceleste defeated Switzerland 3-1 in extra time with goals from Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez, confirming their place in the last four. This much-awaited semi-final will be held on July 15 at 1 am Bangladesh time at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Georgia, USA. The two teams that wrote history four decades ago are once again in high spirits as they battle for supremacy.