Giuliano Simone starts for Argentina 28 years after his dad got Beckham sent off
Argentina’s Guiliano Simone has been named in the starting lineup for the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final against England, bringing back memories of one of football’s most infamous moments.
The replacement for Rodrigo De Paul for the very important match against Atlanta is the 23-year-old wing player, who plays at Atletico Madrid under his father’s supervision. This is the only change in the squad for Argentina before the vital match.
The Simeone family holds great importance in the history of the England vs. Argentina matches. In the quarter-finals match of the 1998 FIFA World Cup, Diego Simeone fouled Beckham, and then the young Beckham, upon retaliating from the ground, Simeone theatrically flopped to the ground. The young man received a red card, and England lost the game on penalties.
Now, after 28 years, Guiliano has the chance to write his own legacy in the fierce rivalry. The forward grew up in Argentina before moving to Spain in 2019 to join Atletico Madrid’s academy.
He was born in Rome when his father was playing for Lazio. He has since worked his way through the ranks and secured his place in Lionel Scaloni’s World Cup squad.
Diego Simeone, who played for the national team of Argentina 108 times, was seen watching his son’s games during the entire competition. Simeone even posed with a smile together with Beckham when he came to watch his son’s game in Miami recently, which is considered by some to have been a symbol of reconciliation.
Giuliano has been selected to add more width to the attacks of the Argentine side in their attempt to qualify for tomorrow’s final against Spain.
Both rivals have not played a competitive match since the 2002 World Cup, making this semi-final one of the most anticipated fixtures in tournament history.
