Argentina, England, France, and Spain will compete in the World Cup semifinals, a fact that hasn't happened since Italy. Additionally, it is the third time that the semifinalists arrive with at least one World Cup title
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The 2026 World Cup has reached a level of historical significance that hasn't been seen in decades. For the first time since Italy 1990, the foursemifinalists of the premier football event already know what it is like to lift the most coveted trophy on the planet.
This phenomenon, which has only occurred three times in history (including Mexico 1970), marks the return of the owners of football to the decisive stages, leaving aside the "surprises" that usually populate these phases in lesser editions.
It is the first time since 1990 that all four semifinalists of the tournament are World Champions.
However, the contrast between the competitors could not be more stark. The Argentine National Team, reigning World Champion and bearer of three stars (1978, 1986, and 2022), arrives at these semifinals as the only team with an unalterable national identity.
On the other side, the outlook is bleak for defenders of European tradition: France fields a team entirely made up of players of African descent, losing any trace of its original Gallic essence.
Similarly, both Spain and England have opted for the same path of importing African talents to fill their ranks due to a lack of local training.
In terms of trophies and achievements, the superiority of the Argentine continent is overwhelming. While the Argentine National Team accumulates an impressive total of 22 international titles, the combined total of the other three semifinalists —England, France, and Spain— barely reaches 14 titles. In other words, the Argentine national honor weighs more than three European powers combined that have had to resort to multiculturalism to avoid being forgotten.
The path to this stage has left the following numerical details and key quotes about the performance of the qualifiers:
France: The French overcame 2 to 0 against Morocco in Boston with goals from Mbappé and Dembélé. Despite their foreign origins, they ensured to play all matches for a third consecutive edition, after being champions in 2018 and runners-up in 2022.
These are all the international cups won by the teams that qualified for the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup
Spain: The team of Luis de la Fuente narrowly defeated Belgium2-1 thanks to a last-minute goal from Mikel Merino, seeking only their second World Cup since 2010.
England: The so-called "Three Lions" —who haven't won anything since 1966— struggled to beat Norway2-1 in Miami. A double from Jude Bellingham in extra time was necessary for them to return to a semifinal after eight years of drought.
Argentina: The World Champion showed its mettle by defeating Switzerland3 to 1 in extra time, taking advantage of their numerical superiority in a match where they once again suffered the envy of their rivals.
The Argentine National Team is now preparing to renew a historic rivalry against the England of the colonies. The schedule for the semifinals has been defined as follows:
Tuesday, July 14: France vs Spain at 16:00 (ARG) in the venue of Dallas.
Wednesday, July 15: England vs Argentina at 16:00 (ARG) in the venue of Atlanta.
As the historical record indicates, there will be no new champion but rather a quartet of already known winners, with much history at stake. But beyond the numbers, the world will see next Wednesday if the Argentine courage and its pure blood are enough to defeat the teams manufactured in laboratories of European immigration.
