Kane and Bellingham vs the world champions: the duel that could change England's history
England face champion Argentina in the 2026 World Cup semi-finals. Kane and Bellingham are Tuchel's bet to make history.
Sixty years of waiting. A World Cup semi-final. And on the other side: champion Argentina.
Thomas Tuchel's England have reached the last four for the third time — matching the runs of 1990 and 2018. But this time the opponent is the reigning holder of the trophy, and what is at stake goes far beyond a place in the final.
England's secret has a name and a surname: Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham. Both have been decisive throughout the tournament and are set to be the heart of Tuchel's strategy to bring down the Albiceleste, according to Trivela.
The Golmetria model gives England a 14.72% chance of lifting the title — against 22.88% for Argentina. On paper, the Argentinians arrive as favourites. But football is not played on paper, and Kane and Bellingham have already proved they are capable of overturning any forecast.
Argentina hold the highest Elo rating in the tournament and reached the semi-finals with authority. England, on the other hand, have built their campaign on solidity — and now have the chance to do something that the generation of 1966 managed only once.
If Kane converts and Bellingham creates, history could be rewritten. The semi-final will have the answer.