Shearer: '98 pain lingers but England can rewrite history against

Alan Shearer says the pain of England's 1998 World Cup defeat to Argentina still lingers 28 years later, but he believes the current squad can create a different outcome when the two nations meet in Wednesday's semi-final in Atlanta (20:00 BST).

Speaking to BBC Sport, the former England captain recalled the dramatic last-16 tie in Saint-Étienne, where England lost on penalties after a match that included Michael Owen's stunning goal, David Beckham's red card, and a disallowed Sol Campbell header. 'I can still picture their players dancing and celebrating next to us as both teams waited to get on their buses,' Shearer said. 'We had come so close to beating them, but we fell on the wrong side of a penalty shootout, and we were going home.'

Shearer, who captained that side, described the defeat as one of the toughest moments of his career, not just personally but because the team had a genuine opportunity to make a statement on the world stage. He sees a similar opportunity for Gareth Southgate's side now, with a place in the World Cup final at stake.

A rivalry renewed

The fixture adds another chapter to a storied rivalry that includes England's quarter-final defeat in 1986, marked by Diego Maradona's 'Hand of God' goal, and the 1998 penalty shootout. 'There is something special about playing them at a World Cup because of the great rivalry between us and the drama and the controversy of our defeats,' Shearer said. 'But it is even more exciting when there is a place in the final at stake.'

Standing in England's way is Lionel Messi, the Argentina captain and arguably the greatest player of all time, who has never faced England before. Shearer described the matchup as 'mouth-watering' and expressed confidence in England's ability to win. 'It does not really matter how,' he said. 'Our players just have to make sure they land on the right side of the result this time, and ensure they are not talking like me about what could or should have been, 28 years from now.'

Lessons from 1998

Shearer warned that the 1998 match serves as a cautionary tale, particularly regarding discipline. 'These are the kind of games where tempers can boil over and affect the result,' he said. 'I would not be surprised at all if we saw another red card this time too.' He also expressed concern about the standard of refereeing and the use of VAR, noting a 'huge shift in the narrative' as the tournament has progressed. He cited a controversial decision that ruled out Egypt's goal against Argentina in the last 16, calling it 'astonishing.'

'It will be a red-hot atmosphere, and it will be hard enough for England playing 11 v 11, so cool heads will be imperative,' Shearer added. 'I know how hard it is not to react in the heat of the battle but we cannot afford to do anything rash that might give the referee or VAR the chance to get involved.'

Argentina's path

Shearer noted that Argentina, the defending champions, have not played 'great football' to reach the semi-finals but have scored some impressive goals. He described them as an 'experienced and streetwise team.' The match will be broadcast live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 19:00 BST, with radio coverage on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds from 18:00 BST.