Messi takes on England for a place in the World Cup final
ATLANTA: Lionel Messi has done just about everything possible in a glorious career, but the 39-year-old Argentinian great has never taken on England — he will finally get the chance in Wednesday’s World Cup semifinal.Messi won his 200th cap for the Albiceleste in the group-stage victory against Algeria and dreams of leading his country to the final once again.The diminutive playmaker is surely in the final days of a remarkable international career which began when he was a fresh-faced 18-year-old in 2005.Having broken into the Barcelona team late the previous year, Messi had just starred for Argentina as they won the Under-20 World Cup in the Netherlands.He was handed his Argentina bow by Jose Pekerman in a friendly against Hungary in Budapest that August, replacing Lisandro Lopez in the 64th minute and joining Hernan Crespo up front.Ninety seconds later he was sent off for what the referee saw as an elbow. It was quite the ignominious way for his Argentina career to begin.“An 18-year-old kid who is making his debut for the national team and has so much hope — he can’t be punished like that.