Why Messi’s ‘anti‑football’ red card still haunts his first England clash

Lionel Messi, the Argentine captain, has been shown only three red cards in his 21‑year career, but one of them denied him an appearance against England. The suspension means his first meeting with the Three Lions will only come on Wednesday night in the World Cup semi‑final in Atlanta, a match both sides have never contested in a competitive setting. England and Argentina have never faced each other in a World Cup or any official tournament since a friendly in November 2005. Michael Owen scored a late double to give England a 3‑2 win in Geneva, a match captured in a Getty photograph that remains a vivid memory for both nations. The incident that caused Messi’s red card occurred in August 2005, shortly after his starring role in the FIFA World Youth Championship. He made his senior debut for Argentina as a 63‑minute substitute against Hungary in Budapest. Just 47 seconds after entering, he was challenged by Hungary’s Vilmos Vanczak, and German referee Markus Merk issued a straight red for an alleged elbow – the first of Messi’s three career dismissals.

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South American football expert Tim Vickery wrote for the BBC: “His red card was a crime against football. Messi burst past a defender, who grabbed his shirt, and used his arm to try to wriggle free. There was no elbow, no violence – just an attempt to get on with the game. The defender fell as if pole‑axed, and out came the red card. This was a hard‑fought friendly. There were some rugged tackles, and some blatant dives. Messi did none of this. He was the victim of anti‑football.” Lionel Scaloni, now Messi’s head coach, was among the players who protested the decision on the Budapest pitch. Messi later said, “He came through me and had hold of me and I wanted to break free, but the referee interpreted it as though I had tried to shove him away.” Argentina’s former manager Jose Pekerman added, “I congratulated Messi because he went out to play his football.”

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The one‑match ban was served in the non‑competitive friendly against England on 10 November in Switzerland, meaning Messi missed that encounter. He returned for three World Cup qualifiers in September and October, providing an assist in a 2‑0 win over Peru. Six days later he was available for a friendly versus Qatar, and in March 2006 he scored his first senior goal against Croatia, becoming Argentina’s youngest ever scorer at a World Cup. Now, with 205 caps and 125 goals, Messi will finally face England – the Three Lions – in a blockbuster World Cup semi‑final in Atlanta on Wednesday. The match will be the first competitive clash between the two nations, ending a long‑standing gap that dates back to the 2005 friendly and the infamous red card that kept Messi away.