Argentine captain Lionel Messi entered the record books of the FIFA World Cup once again, becoming the oldest outfield player to feature in a World Cup semi-final at 39 years and 21 days, in an Argentina–England encounter defined by balance and extreme tactical caution throughout the first half.
Tension and heavy challenges dominated the opening period, with players from both sides committing 19 fouls — 7 against England and 12 against Argentina — while yellow cards were shown to Anderson of England and Martinez of Argentina.
That caution was starkly reflected in the attacking output, as the England–Argentina match became the first in World Cup history — since statistics began being recorded in 1966 — to feature no shot on target in the opening 30 minutes of play, surpassing the previous record for the longest wait for a first on-target effort, which had stood at 29 minutes in England's earlier match against Norway.
The first-half statistics laid bare the extent of the attacking barrenness: combined expected goals (xG) stood at 0.05 for England and 0.03 for Argentina. Only one shot was registered for England and two for Argentina, with neither side managing a single shot on target, zero big chances created by either team (0–0), and each side recording just 4 touches inside the opposition penalty area. The restraint was equally evident in player ratings: Elliott Anderson received the highest rating on the English side (7.2) and Paredes on the Argentine side (7.0), while attacking players such as Harry Kane (5.9) and Lionel Messi (6.3) rated considerably lower.
The English and Argentine press met this cautious first half with a measure of criticism and tactical analysis. The Daily Mail wrote in its assessment: "A complicated first half devoid of attacking threat, with physical duels and tactical errors overshadowing the stars' quality — Kane and Bellingham were completely absent amid the density of Argentina's midfield." The Guardian noted that "history is being written very slowly on the pitch, as both teams held their breath for a full 30 minutes before contemplating a single shot on goal."
Argentine newspaper Olé described the performance as "a genuine battle in the middle of the pitch, with Messi leading his teammates with great caution amid an obvious English physical charge," while La Nación commented: "Rigid tactics had the final say in the first half, and despite Messi's historic record, Argentina's attacking coordination struggled enormously to break through an organised English defence."