Against a backdrop of historical strife, featuring invasions and legendary moments on the football field, the rivalry between England and Argentina has evolved into a distinctive phenomenon. This connection encompasses not only the sport itself but also the political and historical contexts that preceded it.
Often dubbed the only transcontinental derby, this fierce competition stirs excitement among Argentinian players, who thrive on the chance to confront England. Diego Simeone, the passionate coach of Atlético Madrid, gained notoriety for his pivotal role in a significant incident involving David Beckham during the 1998 World Cup.
“I love playing against the English,” Simeone recounted during a 2002 interview at his lavish residence in Rome. He remarked, “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 fondly remembered his debut match against England at Wembley in 1991, rolling up his trouser leg to display a scar from that encounter. “I’ve still got a souvenir from Stuart Pearce from that day. Great game.”
The clash in the 1998 World Cup round of 16 represented another significant episode in this storied rivalry, reminiscent of the infamous ‘hand of God’ moment from 1986. Simeone regarded this match as one of the finest international games he had participated in. “It is the best international match I’ve played in,” he affirmed, acknowledging the strength of the English side that night, particularly highlighting Alan Shearer and Paul Ince. “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.”
Although Simeone’s involvement in Beckham’s sending-off was crucial, he approached the topic with humility. “Ten heroic Lions, one stupid boy” was the framing of Beckham’s red card in the Mirror. “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 commented, “Bumped into an old friend”
He continued, “There was no fear in him whatsoever,”
Despite their past, Simeone and Beckham have since reconciled, sharing a recent photograph together in Miami. Beckham posted on Instagram, “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.”
While Argentina takes pride in Maradona’s legendary second goal from 1986, England celebrates Michael Owen’s remarkable run and finish against Argentina in 1998. At just 18 years old, Owen’s performance left a profound impact, as noted by Glenn Hoddle, the England manager at the time. “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 recalled, emphasizing Owen’s pace and skill.
Owen reminisced about the moment, stating, “He was only 18 and we hadn’t seen him play. It was a pleasant surprise for the fans [but] not for us.”
“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.” Owen explained. “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, stating, “It’s almost like I’m living it again. It’s so deep,”
Regarding Beckham’s red card, Hoddle expressed disbelief at the referee’s ruling. “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.”
In a later reflection, Simeone noted, “How Argentina didn’t score from that was amazing. I think it was 11 against four!”
The match continued with Sol Campbell’s disallowed goal, which looked like an 81st-minute winner for England, only to be ruled out due to a challenge on Shearer. As the England squad celebrated, Argentina pushed forward, creating a tense moment at David Seaman’s goal.
Hoddle recounted those final minutes, saying, “You could have been forgiven for mistaking them as fans,” He vividly remembered the chaos surrounding Campbell’s disallowed goal, expressing the disbelief felt on the sidelines.
Owen remarked, “They were jumping up and down like madmen.”
The dramatic conclusion saw England fall 4-3 on penalties, a result that delighted the Argentinian players. After the match, their team buses lined up side by side outside the stadium, with the Argentinian squad celebrating their triumph over their historical rival. “Knocking out England, with all the history that goes with that, was a huge joy,” described John Gorman, Hoddle’s assistant, reflecting on their exuberance.
Simeone openly conveyed the importance of that victory. “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,” he stated.
In 2002, England sought revenge with a more seasoned team, winning 1-0 in Sapporo. David Beckham successfully converted a penalty awarded after a foul by Mauricio Pochettino, who later humorously acknowledged the incident. “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.” Pochettino admitted, while Owen confessed, “In Argentina, when we played in the street as a kid we didn’t call it football,”
The duality of Argentinian football, merging artistry with shrewdness, was epitomized by Maradona’s brilliance in 1986. Simeone reminisced about watching that iconic match with his father. “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.”
He elaborated on his childhood perspective on football, stating, “In Argentina, when we played in the street as a kid we didn’t call it football… We call it jugar a la pelota [playing with the ball]. It’s prettier than football. It’s about beating players, dribbling, showing off.”
For Simeone, Maradona’s goal against England epitomized this essence. “That,” he concluded, “was jugar a la pelota.”
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