Defender Marc Vales (number 3) vies with Jesse Lingard during a match between Andorra and England in 2021.

At 35, Andorra's center-back Marc Vales has earned 100 caps for his national team. His first encounter with England was at the dawn of Fabio Capello's era, with David Beckham as captain and Wayne Rooney and Jermain Defoe leading the attack. If Vales plays on Tuesday evening at Villa Park, it will be his 6th time facing England, surpassing the combined total of matches Pele, Diego Maradona, Ronaldinho, and Johan Cruyff played against them. It's also double the number of times the Three Lions have faced Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, and Zinedine Zidane.

Vales' frequent encounters with England are a byproduct of modern international football, a format that rarely features top-tier clashes and can stretch for months without truly challenging the biggest stars.

While club football, like the revamped Champions League, constantly seeks high-profile matches, international football seems to dilute its quality. Expanded tournaments and packed qualifying schedules often pit giants against minnows. For example, Andorra, with a population roughly equivalent to Wembley's capacity, faces England more often than the Netherlands or France.

This is akin to a club league where Liverpool regularly plays Rochdale but rarely Arsenal. This FIFA Days window features European World Cup qualifiers like Liechtenstein versus Belgium, Italy versus Estonia, San Marino versus Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Gibraltar versus the Faroe Islands. And once again, England versus Andorra.

Graphics: Hoang Thong

This November marks 20 years since England last played Argentina at the men's senior level. While chance draws have kept them apart in five consecutive World Cups, the fixture schedule, not geography, is the main obstacle. The increasing number of European qualifiers, along with the UEFA Nations League, leaves little room for friendlies against strong non-European teams. Consequently, England and Argentina, two footballing powerhouses, haven't met in two decades.

As a result, Lionel Messi has never faced England. English fans have seen their team play Marc Vales six times, but they may never witness them against the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner. Messi has played 1151 professional matches, but the Football Association (FA) hasn't brought him to Wembley, even though the Inter Miami star played for Argentina at Wembley against Italy in the 2022 Finalissima between the European and South American champions.

Messi even played for Argentina in Romford, east London, in a friendly against West Ham's U21 team before Argentina's exhibition match against Croatia at Upton Park in 2014. But against England? Seemingly impossible. There are too many Andorras, San Marinos, and Maltas for Harry Kane and company to overcome first.

Messi isn't the only missed opportunity. Cristiano Ronaldo has never played for Portugal against England on English soil. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner last faced the Three Lions at the 2006 World Cup, over 1,000 matches and 900 goals ago. The FA knows that with Messi at 38, he may never face England unless they meet in next year's World Cup final – a scenario reliant on chance.

Proactive action is simpler than relying on fate. In 2023, FA Chief Executive Mark Bullingham addressed this, stating that money isn't the issue, but the limited opportunities for friendlies due to the international schedule. "However, a match with Argentina is definitely one we'd like to host at some point," he said.

Messi celebrates during Argentina's match against Saudi Arabia in the 2022 World Cup group stage. Photo: Reuters

A prime opportunity arose in 3/2024, when England had two friendlies at Wembley, but they played Belgium and Brazil instead. The political history between Argentina and England is a barrier, while commercial ties facilitate matches against other opponents. Brazil, whom England has faced in six friendlies since 2007, is sponsored by Nike, like the Three Lions.

England has committed to a friendly against Wales and has kept 3/2026 open in case they need World Cup play-offs. However, if they qualify directly, they might hold a pre-tournament training camp and friendlies on the US east coast. Florida is a potential location, and if the World Cup draw aligns, the FA could invite Argentina for a friendly in Miami, Messi's current city.

Hoang Thong (adapted from The Times)