Ahead of Argentina's crucial semifinal clash against England in the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026, Lionel Scaloni downplayed the history between the two countries. After his team's hard-fought win over Switzerland in the quarterfinal clash, the Argentine head coach focused on considering the upcoming clash as a pure football game, rather than being influenced by the long-standing rivalry between the two nations.
Argentine's route to semi-finals
Argentine stayed alive in the competition by securing a 3-1 extra-time win over Switzerland in Kansas City on Saturday, claiming a berth in the World Cup semifinals for the second time in a row.
Ahead of the blockbuster clash, the Argentine tactician opened up on the history between Argentina and England, saying the game should be perceive as another football game in the tournament
"Look, this is a football game. OK, so the message is this is a football game. That's what I can say. "It is a football game and we will be playing against a very tough opponent. They have an excellent coach and this is a football game and that's all," Scaloni said after Saturday's victory.
Lionel Messi's sensational performance in FIFA World Cup 2026
The 39-year-old forward has enjoyed a dream run so far at the FIFA World Cup 2026. The Argentina captain has managed to smash eight goals and record two assists in just six outings. Notably, this is his best performance in the World Cups. Now, Messi will look to go beyond the semi-final and reach the summit clash for the second time in a row.
Interestingly, this is going to be the first time Lionel Messi will be playing against England in any kind of international fixture despite playing for 20 years. Ahead of the blockbuster clash, Messi expressed his excitement on facing England for the very first time in his legendary career.