Lionel Messi says facing England in the semi-finals of the World Cup will be “special” as Argentina prepares for a tough game against the Three Lions in Atlanta.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner will face England for the first time at international level after both sides needed extra time to book their place in the last four.
England beat Norway 2-1 thanks to a Jude Bellingham double, while Argentina beat Switzerland 3-1 with Julian Alvarez scoring a stunning extra-time winner.
Despite Argentina and England sharing the highlights of the World Cup, Wednesday’s game will mark Messi’s first appearance against the Three Lions in his country.
The 39-year-old admitted that memories of the famous 1986 quarter-final remain ingrained in Argentine football culture.
“Everything I have seen and remembered about Argentina against England since 1986 comes from videos and pictures that Argentines always watch and remember,” Messi told ESPN Argentina.
“But I think this team is used to playing football games regardless of who they are playing against.
“Obviously, playing England is important because they are strong, and games against a powerhouse are always special.”
Messi also admitted that there is more time because England is the only big country he has not faced before.
“For me, it’s the first time I’m going to play with them,” he said.
“I’ve played with everyone except England, so it will be good for that reason as well.
“And we will see for ourselves what it is: a World Cup semi-final where we will face a strong team, a big team, and we will try to arrive in the best possible shape to compete again.”
Argentina’s players know history
The rivalry between the two countries goes beyond football, with Diego Maradona’s infamous “Hand of God” goal and a stunning solo effort in 1986 still a defining moment in World Cup history.
David Beckham’s red card when England lost to Argentina in 1998 added another controversial chapter to the game.
Argentina forward Jose Manuel Lopez has acknowledged the weight of history affecting the tournament.
“From an off-field perspective, it’s a game that has a lot of history with pain and a lot of stories behind it,” he said.
“But we are professional players, we will play as if we have the last games until the end as we showed today, we give everything we have.
“Obviously it’s a special game; the semi-final of the World Cup.”
Lopez added that reaching this stage of the competition was a dream come true for the children.
“For me, and maybe like all my teammates, since we started kicking the ball, we have been dreaming of playing this,” he said.
“We don’t need more motivation than that.”
Alvarez warns of England threat
Argentina’s path to the semi-finals was secured by Alvarez’s extra-time strike after the Europeans had been reduced to 10.
The Manchester City striker is expecting another tough challenge against an England team that he believes has impressed throughout the tournament.
“We are proud to be among the top four teams in the world,” said Alvarez.
“England, we know, has excellent players.
“They are a great team that is doing well in this World Cup but we need to recover and prepare for our game.”
The winners of Wednesday’s game will face Spain or France in the World Cup final next Sunday.
