England beat one of the hosts in their own backyard when they went to the Azteca and won with 10 men. Then they saw off Erling Haaland and his pals in the last eight. Now it is the holders and the small matter of knocking out Argentina led by Lionel Messi.
It is an evocative encounter that stirs memories heroic and haunting. Sir Alf Ramsey infamously called Argentina as 'animals' in 1966. Twenty years on, Diego Maradona delivered both the Hand of God and The Goal of the Century just minutes apart.
It is a rivalry steeped in war and empire, in battles on the pitch and off it. It is Michael Owen's goal. It is David Beckham's moment of madness in tripping Diego Simeone and the completion of the player's redemption arc four years later from the penalty spot.
Until now, however, it has never been touched by Messi. Argentina cap number 206 pits him against England for the first time in his long career. "It has never happened to me against England," says Messi. "It is the first time so it is going to be a special match."
Maradona's shadow looms
Just when he thought he had surpassed the shadow of Maradona, Gianni Infantino's script serves up this, a World Cup date with England. Even the choice of the strip colours will be the same as that day 40 years ago when the Maradona legend was born.
Messi must have thought he had done it all in football but now, aged 39, Argentina will demand that he vanquish the old foe - just as Diego did. The handball might be tricky given the constraints of VAR but ask Egypt supporters and they might not rule it out.
A wonder goal from his own half? At his age, it would be outlandish to contemplate it but what has been astonishing about Messi's World Cup is the way that he has exceeded expectations. In terms of numbers, it has been a remarkable triumph.
His hat-trick in Argentina's opening game against Algeria set the tone for a tournament in which the big names have been front and centre. He scored in the next four games too. After blanking in the win over Switzerland, this is a relative goal drought for Messi.
Still scoring and creating
The top line is that tally of eight goals, putting him alongside Kylian Mbappe as the tournament's top scorer as they resume their Golden Boot battle from Qatar. But Messi's creativity beyond his goals has underlined his ongoing importance to Argentina.
He tops the World Cup rankings for chances created and big chances created. He is joint-top for chances created from set plays and clear of the rest for through-balls. He has had 16 shots from outside the penalty box - five more than any other player.
How do you stop that? With Haaland, the job was to cut off the supply. How do you cut off the supply to a man who does not even need possession of the ball in dangerous areas to do his damage? Messi is free to roam wherever it might suit him best.
Against Egypt and Switzerland, that meant moving out to the right wing when he found things too crowded in the centre. Messi will find those pockets of space and against an England team without a natural holding midfielder, there could well be plenty of them.
Spence set for key role?
Nico O'Reilly is, on the face of it, the more attacking option at left-back. However, Tuchel will have noted the performance of Djed Spence after coming on against Norway. The Spurs full-back impressed defensively but was an attacking threat too.
Spence won a penalty only for VAR to overturn the decision. He also won the ball back with one aggressive interception in the final third of the pitch. An 86th-minute substitute, he finished with as many touches in the opposition box as Harry Kane.
Even more importantly, he displayed the sort of one-on-one defending that have some calling him the best natural defender in the England squad. Only John Stones - who played the full 120 minutes - made more clearances than Spence against Norway.
Against Argentina, England's left side is likely to be targeted. Messi has shifted out to the right in each of his team's last two games in search of space. Having a right-footed defender comfortable dealing with an opponent could be a crucial element to the role.
One more Messi moment?
Thomas Tuchel's preparations for Argentina began on Sunday, and they cannot centre on Messi alone. Against Switzerland, Julian Alvarez scored a stunning goal. Lautaro Martinez set up Enzo Fernandez's winner against Egypt. Other heroes have emerged.
But when it comes to Lionels, it remains true that this is the team of Messi not Scaloni. Is there enough in the tank? "We have come here through a lot of effort, playing a long game again," said Messi after the Switzerland game. "And, well, sometimes it shows."
At 39, Messi has become more of a moments player than one who controls a game, his dominance of this semi-final felt off the pitch as much as on it. But if he can conjure a moment against England, the legend of Messi, improbable as it might seem, will grow even greater.