England prepares for Argentina semi-final
England captain Harry Kane has stated that the squad is “completely together” as they prepare for their World Cup semi-final match against Argentina. This follows comments made by manager Thomas Tuchel regarding their performance in the quarter-final. England secured their spot in the final four after a 2-1 victory over Norway in Miami on Saturday. They are set to face Argentina in Atlanta on Wednesday.
Following the match against Norway, Tuchel reportedly said England “got lucky” and expressed dissatisfaction with the team’s performance. When asked about these remarks, Jude Bellingham responded, “Yeah, well, whatever. It’s difficult out there – it’s a tough shift.”
Kane addressed the situation, explaining that it is easy to try and create division, particularly in major tournaments. He emphasized that the team’s unity is a key factor in their success, extending beyond the players to include the coach and staff. He noted that sometimes situations are perceived to be more significant than they are.
Tuchel’s coaching approach differs from that of his predecessor, Sir Gareth Southgate, but Kane views this as a positive. He described Tuchel as someone who is genuine and unscripted, which contributes to his effectiveness as a manager. Kane highlighted that the team understands Tuchel’s methods and what motivates him.
A chance to face Messi
The upcoming semi-final presents England with the challenge of facing Lionel Messi’s Argentina. For left-back Nico O’Reilly, this is seen as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to play against the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner. At 39, it could be his last opportunity in a World Cup. O’Reilly, a Manchester City defender, has not previously faced Messi at the club level.
O’Reilly expressed his anticipation for the match, stating that he views Messi as the greatest player to have ever played football and looks forward to the challenge. Messi began the tournament with a hat-trick in a 3-0 win against Algeria, becoming the all-time leading goalscorer in World Cup history.
While Messi is a significant threat, England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford cautioned against focusing solely on him, emphasizing the overall strength of Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina squad.
Pickford acknowledged Messi’s talent and expressed excitement about finally playing against him. However, he stressed the importance of recognizing the other strengths of the Argentina team and identifying their weaknesses that England can exploit. The winner of this semi-final match will advance to the World Cup final, scheduled for Sunday, 19 July, at the New York New Jersey Stadium, where they will face either France or Spain.
Historical rivalry between England and Argentina
The footballing rivalry between England and Argentina is deeply rooted in history and politics, often described as the only trans-continental derby. Many Argentinian footballers view matches against England with particular significance. Diego Simeone, now the coach of Atlético Madrid, recalled his experiences playing against England, including the 1998 World Cup match where David Beckham received a red card.
Simeone expressed his enjoyment of playing against English teams, noting their open, aggressive, and passionate style of play. He recounted a match at Wembley in 1991, showing a scar he received from Stuart Pearce during that game. The 1998 World Cup encounter was the first between the two nations since Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal in 1986.
Simeone described the 1998 match as the best international game he had played in, highlighting the exceptional performances of Alan Shearer and Paul Ince. He acknowledged that England played for 70 minutes with 10 men after Beckham’s sending off. While not fully repentant for his role in Beckham’s red card, Simeone suggested that the media’s reaction was excessive and that Beckham had simply made an instinctive mistake.
Despite the past rivalry, Simeone and Beckham were later pictured together in Miami. Beckham posted on Instagram about “ bumping into an old friend.” While Argentina has Maradona’s second goal from 1986, England has Michael Owen’s memorable run and goal in 1998, which put them ahead 2-1 in that match. Owen was 18 at the time and later discussed the goal with Glenn Hoddle, England’s manager at the time.
Hoddle recalled Owen’s fearlessness and speed. Owen himself described how he saw an opportunity to score after receiving the ball from Beckham. Simeone admitted that Argentina had not anticipated Owen’s impact, as he was a new player on the international stage. The match also featured a disallowed goal for Sol Campbell in the 81st minute, which Hoddle described as a scarring moment.
The game ultimately ended in a 4-3 penalty shootout defeat for England. Argentinian players celebrated the victory with great enthusiasm. Simeone confirmed that eliminating England was a significant joy due to the historical context of the rivalry. England achieved some measure of revenge in 2002, winning 1-0 in Sapporo with Beckham scoring a penalty. The penalty was won by Owen after a foul by Mauricio Pochettino, who later good-naturedly suggested it might have been a dive.
Owen conceded that he could have stayed on his feet despite sustaining a gash. Simeone reflected on Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal, recalling how his father initially called it a handball, but he saw it as a good goal due to Maradona’s quickness. He emphasized the Argentinian concept of “jugar a la pelota,” which focuses on skill and dribbling, contrasting it with the more disciplined nature of football.
The semi-final between England and Argentina will be played in Atlanta on Wednesday.
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Source: bbc.com
As CasinoNews's Sports News Writer, Mason Leclair reports on the CFL, golf and combat sports for readers across the country. He moved from regional papers into digital sport. He holds a degree in Journalism from Carleton University. Mason lives in Ottawa, where he follows the PGA Tour and mixed martial arts. “Get the facts down first, then add the context.”
