Argentina absolutely crushed Alan Shearer’s World Cup dream way back in France '98, ending it all in a brutal last-16 penalty shootout that still stings him to this very day. Can you even imagine that pain? Now, 28 years later, England is gearing up for a massive semi-final clash against that same bitter rival, Argentina, and Shearer feels the exact same electric potential about this squad. These guys are just two massive wins away from sealing their place in immortality, making history that echoes forever. And the fact it’s Argentina standing directly in their way first? That just pours an insane amount of extra, spicy, historical drama on an already wild, high-stakes occasion. This isn't just a game, it's destiny knocking.
The Grudge is REAL: Messi, '86, and '98 All Collide
Listen, there’s something special about playing Argentina at a World Cup. The rivalry is absolutely legendary, full of drama and controversy. Those defeats in the '86 quarter-finals and then '98, which Shearer played in, still sting. But it gets even more exciting when a spot in the FINAL is at stake! And who’s blocking their path to glory this time? None other than Lionel Messi, the little genius himself, arguably the greatest player ever. Can you believe he’s never even faced England before? This is the mouth-watering tie we all wanted, and Shearer is convinced England can win it, no matter how. He's telling these players to make sure they land on the right side of the result this time. No more talking about what could have been 28 years from now, like he still does.'98 Nightmares and VAR Worries Haunt This Showdown
Thinking about Wednesday’s game immediately sends Shearer back to Saint-Etienne in 1998. Man, that was truly one of the most memorable matches he ever played, and still one of the most talked about for good reason. So many crazy sub-plots went down that night at Stade Geoffroy Guichard: Michael Owen's amazing goal, Argentina's brilliant free-kick, David Beckham getting a red card, England battling for 75 minutes with just 10 men, Sol Campbell’s goal getting disallowed, and then that gut-wrenching agony of losing on penalties. It was an unbelievable night with absolutely everything happening, and even now, he still doesn’t think the best team actually won. Shearer says what happened then should be a huge, glaring warning to England now, because these are exactly the kind of high-pressure games where tempers can just explode, totally affecting the outcome. He wouldn't be shocked at all if we saw another red card in this match, not one bit. Plus, he’s seriously concerned about the refereeing and how VAR might totally screw things up again. It feels like there’s been a massive, bizarre shift from referees and VAR as this tournament has rolled on, with some truly baffling decisions, including a few that went Argentina’s way. Remember that Egypt goal against them in the last 16 that got wiped off the board because of a foul all the way on the other side of the pitch? That was just astonishing. Shearer is simply hoping for both teams that there isn't any more controversy in this tie. Let’s just see some clean, fierce football, please! So, buckle up, because Wednesday night in Atlanta is going to be absolutely ELECTRIC. England has a shot to change their lives forever, two wins away from etching their names into legendary status. They just have to get past the ghost of '98 and the GOAT himself, Messi. Get ready, because this is going to be one for the ages. Let’s GO!This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.