Argentina’s Captain Lionel Messi Sends Message to England Ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup Semifinal
- Lionel Messi confirmed that facing England in the 2026 World Cup semifinal will be a special occasion for him personally
- Messi revealed it will be his first-ever match against England after facing virtually every other major footballing nation
- Argentina's captain described England as a football powerhouse and said he was excited for the historic clash
Argentina legend Lionel Messi has sent a message to England ahead of their upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinal clash.
La Albiceleste will face the Three Lions at the Atlanta Stadium on Wednesday, July 15, 40 years after their famous meeting held in Mexico.
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What did Messi say about the semifinal
Lionel Messi has described his upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinal against England as a one-of-a-kind moment.
The Barcelona legend confirmed that it will be the first time in his career that he has faced the Three Lions in a competitive fixture.
The Argentina captain made the remarks ahead of what is set to be one of the most anticipated matches in recent World Cup history. He said via beIN SPORTS:
"Facing England will be special! It's my first time playing against England. I've played against just about everyone except them."
The 2026 World Cup semifinal pits two of football's most storied nations against each other, with Messi's Argentina arriving as the reigning world champions following their triumph at the 2022 edition in Qatar.
Messi on England as a footballing nation
Despite his remarkable international career spanning more than two decades, Messi acknowledged that England had remained the one prominent footballing nation he had never met on the pitch.
He was equally complimentary about England's quality, making clear he views the contest as a genuine test of Argentina's credentials at this stage of the tournament.
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"They are a great team, a football powerhouse, it's always exciting to face opponents like that," Messi added.
Both nations carry a weighty football history, most famously through their World Cup quarter-final encounters in 1986, when Diego Maradona scored both the notorious "Hand of God" goal and the "Goal of the Century," and again in 1998, per BBC.
Egyptian hackers breach Argentina FA system
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Argentine Football Federation (AFA) has quickly dismissed the emails and insisted they were not authorised by the organisation.
The AFA added that it was working with its technical department to determine what happened.
Source: Legit.ng
