Messi looking forward to 'special' World Cup clash against England

The eagerly awaited clash between Argentina and England in the World Cup semi-final will be Lionel Messi's first. The Argentine star, who celebrated the victory over Switzerland last Saturday, highlighted the importance of facing a world football powerhouse at this decisive stage of the tournament, according to GE.

“It’s a special match. It’s my first time. I’ve played against everyone except England. It’s a different kind of fixture, against a team with a great tradition, and it’s always fantastic to be part of a match of this calibre in a semi-final,” Messi said during an interview in the mixed zone in Kansas City.

Messi also took the opportunity to praise the Argentine squad’s mentality, which remains competitive even after their recent world and continental triumphs.

“This squad never stops pushing; they always want more and strive to be on a par with the best. What this team has achieved is no mean feat: winning the World Cup, winning the Copa América and reaching the semi-finals once again,” he added.

Despite the euphoria over qualifying, the captain admitted that the team is feeling the accumulated physical strain. The 3–1 victory over Switzerland was only decided in extra time, the second time the Argentines had needed extra time in the knockout stages within an eight-day period.

“We’ll try to rest, as we’ve been through a lot. The squad is certainly feeling it, but we’ll be in the best possible shape to carry on competing as we have been,” Messi assured.

Regarding the team’s overall performance, Messi praised the efforts of his attacking teammates. Julián Álvarez, who scored one of the goals, received special praise.

“It was a brilliant goal; he has a world-class finish and has shown that time and again, including at Atletico Madrid. I was very pleased with the result, his goal, and Lautaro’s goal. We need to keep going in the same vein,” he concluded.