Lionel Messi always brings a special perspective on the thinking of a football genius. In rare statements about the semi-final between England and Argentina, he talked about this confrontation as if it was just another big match, instead of a reunion full of history and emotions.
That is also shown in the documentary Living Match by Match about Diego Simeone. When asked about the England - Argentina match at the 1998 World Cup, Messi only remembered that he watched the match with his family and then ran out into the street to play football. For him, football is always the most important thing.
That calmness is the biggest danger for England when facing the player considered the greatest in history for the first time. According to close associates, Messi always sees every match equally, from encounters in the MLS to the match against Brazil. Only the World Cup brings him special emotions, because each match can be the last in his career in this arena.
It is a coincidence that England has never faced El Pulga at the national team level. For many "Three Lions" players, this is an opportunity that only comes once in a lifetime.
That is a challenge that I am very excited about" - Nico O'Reilly shared. Meanwhile, goalkeeper Jordan Pickford admitted that he is looking forward to facing Messi after many years of only watching on the screen.
What makes Messi different is not only his technique, but also his ability to read the game. Many defenders who have faced him describe him as "living in Matrix", always knowing in advance where the space will appear.
The times Messi walks on the field are actually when he observes every movement of the opponent. When he recognizes a weakness, he will launch a decisive blow.
The 3-2 victory over Egypt is clear evidence. After more than 70 minutes of playing quite lackluster, Messi suddenly accelerated on the left wing, assisted Cristian Romero to score and then scored himself, completely changing the game.
That is the reason why coach Thomas Tuchel understands that the time Messi seemed to "disappear" was when he was most dangerous.
Jose Mourinho once shared that the only way to deal with Messi is not to completely stop him, but to make him go through the most difficult match possible.
That will also be the goal of the England team. Despite possessing a young, physically strong and faster squad than Argentina, the "Three Lions" still have to find a solution for the player who can decide the match in just a moment.
Messi's rare weakness is the ability to take penalties. If the semi-final had to enter a penalty shootout, statistics show that he has missed four out of eight penalties at the World Cup.
However, coach Lionel Scaloni is not bothered at all: "I will never tell him not to take penalties. Let Messi do what he wants on the field".
After all, what England is about to experience is not only the confrontation with Argentina, but also the biggest challenge named Messi.
