KANSAS CITY, Missouri, July ⁠12 (Reuters) - Lionel Messi has spent over two decades carving a path through international soccer, ⁠facing every World Cup-winning nation from Brazil to France, but one notable opponent has ‌always been missing from the list: England.

That will change on Wednesday when Argentina meet the European side in a World Cup semi-final in Atlanta, a heavyweight clash that Argentina's FA (AFA) described on its website as "the match fate owed Messi."

The 39-year-old ​Messi has played Brazil, Uruguay, Germany, Italy, Spain and France ⁠during his career, yet never crossed paths ⁠with England.

The closest he came was a friendly in Geneva in November 2005, the last time ⁠the ‌two sides faced each other.

Argentina lost 3-2 as Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen, who scored twice, overturned goals from Hernan Crespo and Walter Samuel. Messi, however, missed out after being ⁠sent off on his international debut against Hungary earlier that ​year.

"It's special because they're a ‌great team, a powerhouse, and it's always nice to play a team like that, a ⁠match of this ​kind," Messi told reporters after Argentina's 3-1 quarter-final victory over Switzerland in extra time on Saturday.

"We need to rest because we come from a lot of wear and tear, which the group obviously feels, and arrive ⁠in the best possible condition to keep doing what we've ​been doing: competing," he added.

Argentina survived a third consecutive dramatic knockout match, after defeating Cape Verde 3-2 in extra time in the round of 32 and staging a comeback to beat Egypt 3-2 in ⁠the last 16 after trailing 2-0 with 11 minutes remaining.

Messi contributed with an assist for Alexis Mac Allister's opening goal against Switzerland, but it was the first World Cup match since Argentina's 2-0 group-stage win over Poland at Qatar 2022 in which Messi did not score.

"England can outrun Argentina but ​they just have that little genius Messi. They all play for ⁠him. Everyone should be excited," BBC pundit Micah Richards said. "Marking him is impossible because he doesn't run ​back."

The England clash will add another chapter to one of soccer's ‌most emotionally charged rivalries, shaped by decades of ​sporting drama and political tension, while giving Messi a place in a fixture that has produced some of Argentina's most enduring soccer memories.

(Reporting by Gabriel AraujoEditing by Toby Davis)