{"id":1468341,"date":"2026-07-14T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?post_type=features&p=1468341"},"modified":"2026-07-14T14:47:35","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T13:47:35","slug":"england-vs-argentina-combined-xi-comparison-matrix","status":"publish","type":"features","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/england-vs-argentina-combined-xi-comparison-matrix\/","title":{"rendered":"England vs Argentina: The Comparison Matrix combined XI for World Cup semi-final"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We’ve delved into all of the stats using the Squawka Comparison Matrix to picked out an England<\/a> vs Argentina<\/a> Combined XI, ahead of this week’s World Cup<\/a> semi-final.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check the stats and see our eventual combined XI below. The players we\u2019ve chosen to compare are a combination of the teams’ most-used XI at the World Cup and predicted lineups for the match itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Goalkeeper: Jordan Pickford vs Emiliano Martinez<\/h3>\n\n\n
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A battle between two Premier League<\/a> goalkeepers, Jordan Pickford comes out on top. But there are a lot of close matchups. Pickford is the busier goalkeeper averaging 1.9 saves per 90 minutes compared to Emiliano Martinez’s 1.3 per 90. And he stops shots at a better rate too, with a save percentage of 66.67%. However, Martinez has conceded fewer goals on average while both goalkeepers have averaged the same amount of clean sheets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There’s an interesting difference in passing. Pickford has completed more passes than Martinez per 90, at 22.6 to 18.9. But Martinez has the better accuracy. He’s completed 74.56% of his total passes at the World Cup this summer, while Pickford has completed 73.33%. Narrow margins. Pickford does come out on top for both long passes completed and long pass accuracy, though.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winner: <\/strong>Jordan Pickford<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Right-back: Djed Spence vs Nahuel Molina<\/h3>\n\n\n
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Djed Spence is likely to continue at right-back for England, and he gets into this combined XI ahead of Nahuel Molina. It’s a pretty one-sided rivalry, with Spence clear in quite a few metrics. Now, Molina has been more creative with 0.7 chances created per 90, while Spence is still awaiting his first. Molina also has more ball recoveries at 3.5 per 90 to 2.1. But Spence wins every other key full-back metric.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defensively, Spence has averaged 3.7 tackles at the World Cup per 90, with Molina trailing on 2.3 tackles per 90. Spence has more success in his ground duels too, winning 72.22% of his battles, with 5.3 won per 90. Molina, meanwhile, has won 63.16% of his ground duels, totalling to 2.8 won per 90. Spence also leads for clearances (4.9) and interceptions (1.3) per 90. Although, he only just beats Molina’s 1.2 for the latter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winner: <\/strong>Djed Spence<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Centre-backs: Ezri Konsa vs Marc Guehi vs Cristian Romero vs Lisandro Martinez<\/h3>\n\n\n
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It’s a complete switch to Argentina for the centre-backs, with Cristian Romero and Lisandro Martinez coming out on top. The pair are a perfect partnership at the heart of Argentina’s defence. Martinez comes out on top in the quartet for his 3.4 ground duels won per 90, with Romero level alongside Ezri Konsa on 2.6. But Romero has the best aerial duel success rate at 70.59%. Martinez does also rank second there too, winning 66.67% of his aerial battles. Marc Guehi does have the best ground duel success rate, through, with 80% — ahead of Martinez’s 76%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While England’s centre-backs — led by Konsa — have the better passing accuracy, Argentina’s make more forward passes per 90. There’s not much separating Romero’s 24.8 per 90 and Martinez’s 23.3. The pair are also level with 2.0 tackles made per 90, while Guehi is yet to make a tackle and Konsa has only averaged 0.6 per 90. Martinez also leads the way for his 5.0 clearances per 90, while Romero sits top of the pile for interceptions (1.6) and ball recoveries (4.0) per 90.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winners: <\/strong>Cristian Romero and Lisandro Martinez<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Left-back: Nico O’Reilly vs Nicolas Tagliafico<\/h3>\n\n\n
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Nico O’Reilly completes the defence, winning a tight matchup with Nicolas Tagliafico. The latter didn’t start the World Cup as Argentina’s first-choice left-back, but has made the spot his own as the tournament has gone on. And it’s not hard to see why. The 33-year-old has won 65% of his ground duels at the World Cup this summer, averaging 4.3 won per 90, proving reliable defensively. He has also averaged 2.0 clearances per 90, with 0.7 interceptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But O’Reilly wins the England vs Argentina battle for interceptions, with an ever-so-slightly higher 0.8 per 90. He also beats Tagliafico for his 2.6 ball recoveries per 90, almost double the Argentine’s 1.4 per 90. O’Reilly has also been slightly busier with his 1.2 tackles. The Englishman is more involved in his side’s attack too. O’Reilly averages 1.0 chances created per 90, with 0.8 crosses attempted. Tagliafico isn’t too far behind with 0.7 chances created and 0.4 crosses attempted per 90, but it’s enough to lose the matchup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winner: <\/strong>Nico O’Reilly<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Central midfielders: Declan Rice vs Elliot Anderson vs Leandro Paredes<\/h3>\n\n\n
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The differences in formations and systems make this selection quite difficult. Especially as Argentina have deployed more of a 4-1-3-2 in their recent matches. But Leandro Paredes has still won himself a spot in this combined XI, at the expense of Declan Rice. Paredes is another to have grown into the World Cup, but he’s reliable as anything at the base of Argentina’s defence. He has completed 94.47% of his passes so far, while averaging 33.5 forward passes per 90. The latter is more than both Elliot Anderson (18.6) and Rice (10.8) combined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anderson is the strongest tackler, taking most of England’s midfield duels. He’s averaged 2.8 tackles per 90, with 7.1 duels won and 57.45% ground duel success rate. Paredes, meanwhile, has made 1.4 tackles to Rice’s 0.5, with 2.7 duels won and a success rate of 56.25%. Rice trails in both metrics, again because Elliot takes that role for England. The only battle that Rice does win is his 100% success rate in aerial duels, but even then he has to share the crown with Paredes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winners: <\/strong>Leandro Paredes and Elliot Anderson<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Right-winger: Bukayo Saka vs Rodrigo De Paul<\/h3>\n\n\n
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This is where a differing system causes real problems. While Rodrigo De Paul plays on the right flank, he’s very much a central midfielder playing out wide. So he loses all the key wide matchups against Bukayo Saka, who is being predicted to start for England. Both players are yet to score at the World Cup this summer, but Saka does average 1.1 shots on target to De Paul’s 0.3 The latter also suffers the problem of a team being built around getting Lionel Messi on the ball. It’s a similar story for chances created. De Paul has only created 0.9 chances per 90 to Saka’s 1.7, with 0.3 assists to 1.1 per 90.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s not a complete whitewash. De Paul does average more through balls per 90 at 0.5, with Saka yet to made one at the World Cup. The Argentine also has more success in his take-ons, yet to fail — though that’s aided by a low number of attempts. Saka has averaged 2.1 take-ons completed per 90, while De Paul has completed (and attempted) just 0.3. Saka is also fouled more often and has more touches in the opposition box.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winner: <\/strong>Bukayo Saka<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No.10: Jude Bellingham vs Alexis Mac Allister<\/h3>\n\n\n
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Alexis Mac Allister has been the one the play through the middle for Argentina, which gives him the unfortunate matchup against Jude Bellingham. It was always going to be a win for Bellingham, who is a genuine contender to win the tournament’s Golden Ball. Bellingham is among the top scorers at the World Cup this summer and averages 1.1 goals per 90, from 2.0 shots on target. Like Fernandez, Mac Allister has played deeper until recent matches, so only averages 0.6 shots on target and 0.2 goals per 90. The pair are matched for assists, but Bellingham has created more chances on average at 1.4 to 0.9 per 90.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The only matchup that Mac Allister does win is with his passing accuracy, completing 92.18% of his attempts compared to Bellingham’s 81.86%. But Bellingham will naturally have been more adventurous with his passes. It can be seen by his 0.9 through-balls per 90, to Mac Allister’s 0.2. Bellingham has been wizard on the ball too, completing 2.1 take-ons per 90 while winning 2.1 fouls. Mac Allister is pretty decent at winning fouls (1.6 per 90), but still not as good as Bellingham.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winner: <\/strong>Jude Bellingham<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Left-winger: Antony Gordon vs Enzo Fernandez<\/h3>\n\n\n
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Enzo Fernandez suffers a similar fate to De Paul on the left, though he is definitely more attacking than his teammate. He has scored at this World Cup, averaging 0.2 goals per 90, from 0.6 shots on target. But England counterpart Anthony Gordon bests him for the latter, averaging 0.9 shots on target per 90. Gordon has been more creative too, averaging 0.9 assists per 90 from 1.7 chances created. Fernandez, meanwhile, is yet to provide and assist and only averages 0.6 chances created per 90.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fernandez’s numbers are also hurt by the fact that he was playing deeper to start the tournament. But that does help him best Gordon for his 0.6 through-balls per 90, compared to the Englishman’s 0.3. He has also had better success in take-ons, completing 60% of his attempts with 1.2 completed per 90. Gordon has completed 2.3 take-ons per 90, but has a low success rate of 36.36%. The winger mentality, though, does see Gordon win on fouls won and touches in the opposition box.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winner: <\/strong>Anthony Gordon<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Striker: Harry Kane vs Lionel Messi vs Julian Alvarez<\/h3>\n\n\n
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Julian Alvarez is expected to get the nod ahead of Lautaro Martinez to partner Lionel Messi on Wednesday. But he had no chance of getting into this combined XI. Even Harry Kane has been blown away by the mecurial Messi. There’s only one matchup that Messi doesn’t win as part of this trio, and that’s conversion rate. Kane takes it with 27.27%, but Messi’s is still a very strong 24.24%. They’re both scoring with around a quarter of their shots. But Messi is averaging more shots, shots on target and goals per 90.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Argentine has averaged 4.8 shots (excluding blocks) per 90 at the World Cup, compared to Kane’s 2.9. In fact, Messi has had more shots on target (3.1) than Kane has shots in general. And he’s scoring at a more frequent rate, averaging 1.4 goals per 90 to Kane’s very good 1.0 per 90. Messi is also the creative heart of this Argentina team. He’s averaged 3.6 chances created at the World Cup to Kane’s 0.8, with 0.4 assists to 0.2. Messi is fouled more and has more touches in the opposition box too. Alvarez has his best matchup in the latter, but his 3.4 touches in the opposition box per 90 is still some way behind Kane’s 5.3 and Messi’s 6.3. It was no contest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winner: <\/strong>Lionel Messi<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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