Demons of the Last Four: Can England and Argentina Escape History?

The four remaining nations at the 2026 World Cup carry some heavy luggage into the semi-finals, according to The Guardian. England's fans will need no reminding of Turin in 1990, when a penalty shootout ended their run against West Germany, nor of Moscow in 2018, when Croatia dismantled them in the second half.

Argentina, France and Spain each carry their own particular demons into the closing rounds, and The Guardian's Jonathan Wilson explores how those scars shape the way these nations approach the biggest games.

For England, one piece of old business has already been settled at this tournament. Winning at the Azteca helped lift the shadow of the Hand of God, but the next and larger challenge is beating Argentina in a knockout tie, something they have not yet managed to do.

With the semi-finals now upon us, the question is whether any of these four giants can finally shake free of the past and write a new story in 2026.