Argentina won a ticket to the semi-finals after a 3-1 victory over Switzerland, while England came back to defeat Norway with a score of 2-1. The two teams will meet at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, USA) at 2:00 AM on July 16 (Vietnam time) to compete for a place in the final.
Despite facing many top world teams in more than two decades of playing, Messi has never faced England at both a friendly and official level. This is also the third time he has reached the World Cup semi-finals, after winning the runner-up title in 2014 and the championship in 2022.
This will be a very special match. I have met many strong teams but have never faced England. They are always a football superpower and it's fun to face them in the World Cup semi-finals," Messi shared after the victory over Switzerland.
In the quarter-final match held at Arrowhead Stadium, Argentina opened the score thanks to Alexis Mac Allister's header but was equalized by Dan Ndoye. The turning point came from the 71st minute when Breel Embolo received a red card, helping the South American representative play with more players. In extra time, Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez scored respectively, sealing a 3-1 victory for the reigning world champions.
Messi assesses this as one of Argentina's most difficult matches at this year's tournament.
I am very happy with this victory. The most important thing is that we have passed the round to have more time to recover before the next match. This team always plays with a competitive spirit, constantly strives and wants to continue to affirm its position," the Argentina captain said.
The 39-year-old striker also praised Julian Alvarez after a beautiful curling shot to increase the score to 2-1 in extra time. According to FIFA statistics, this shot put the ball into the net at a speed of about 86 km/h.
He scored a great goal, but that didn't surprise me. Julian always showed very good finishing ability and has proven it in Atletico Madrid's colors," Messi commented.
Besides, Messi recalled Argentina's successful journey in recent years with the 2022 World Cup championship, two Copa America titles (2021, 2024) and the 2022 Intercontinental Super Cup.
It's not easy for a team to maintain such a record. We need to enjoy this moment with the fans when we are once again in the top four strongest teams in the world," he said.
Before overcoming Switzerland, Argentina had to go through difficult matches when they won Cabo Verde 3-2 in extra time in the round of 16 and reversed to defeat Egypt 3-2 in the round of 16 after being two goals down.
Messi admitted that the whole team is under a lot of physical pressure after a series of tense matches and will take advantage of a short break to best prepare for the confrontation with England.
