^ ^ Lionel Messi makes ‘special’ England claim ahead of World Cup semi-final

Lionel Messi is looking forward to Argentina’s ‘special’ World Cup clash with England (Picture: Getty)

Argentina superstar Lionel Messi says he is relishing the opportunity to face ‘big team’ England for the first time in his career ahead of the sides’ ‘special’ World Cup semi-final.

The holders had looked to be cruising towards a comfortable victory over Switzerland after Alexis Mac Allister headed home Messi’s tenth-minute corner to open the scoring in Kansas.

Switzerland dug deep and found an equaliser midway through the second half as Dan Ndoye beat Emiliano Martinez from a tight angle, only for Breel Embolo to get sent off for a second bookable offence just five minutes later.

Granit Xhaka and Co clung on to take the absorbing quarter-final contest to extra-time, but it was Argentina who prevailed after the added 30 minutes, with Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez both netting in a dramatic finish.

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The 2022 champions will do battle with England in an intriguing semi-final clash steeped in history, with a Jude Bellingham-inspired Three Lions coming from behind to defeat Norway earlier in the day.

A place in this year’s final against one of Spain or France awaits the victor.

‘The truth is, yes, it is always special to play against the big teams,’ Messi said in his post-match interview with ESPN.

Alvarez scored a stunning goal to help send Argentina on their way (Picture: Getty)

‘It never happened to me against England, it’s the first time, so it’s going to be a special match, a World Cup semi-final.

‘Now we’ll rest and prepare for that. We’ve come from a lot of effort, playing a long game and, well, sometimes is shows.’

Facing the media shortly after Argentina’s win, Lionel Scaloni said his side would be giving ‘every last drop of sweat’ to get a past a ‘very tough’ and reach the final.

‘What this team has achieved is historic, even though we could have played better,’ the Argentina head coach told reporters.

Messi and Co will lock horns with England in the final four (Picture: Getty)

‘It’s historic to be in a semi-final again.

‘It’s a privileged space in football, not an easy feat. We’re happy and excited now.

‘We will try to make it to the end with every last drop of sweat.’

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Argentina’s jubilant squad were pictured celebrating with their adoring supporters in the immediate aftermath of their win, with chants of, ‘Anyone who doesn’t jump is an Englishman,’ heard both on the pitch and in the stands.

But despite the age-old rivalry between the two nations, dating back to the Falklands War in 1982, Scaloni insisted Wednesday’s semi-final is simply ‘a football game’ versus a ‘very tough opponent’.

‘The message is this is a football game. That is what I can say,’ he added.

‘We will be playing against a very tough opponent, they have an excellent coach, it is a football game and that is all.’

Argentina’s upcoming clash with England is just a ‘football game’, says Scaloni (Picture: Getty)

Scaloni – who steered Argentina to glory in Qatar four years ago – hopes his squad will have learned a ‘big lesson’ from their edgy and ‘very difficult’ quarter-final with Switzerland.

‘It was very difficult for us to win the duels but ultimately we always find the solutions,’ he went on.

‘In the end we made it possible but it was a big lesson for us as we know what we will be facing.’

It was heartbreak for the Swiss in Kansas (Picture: Getty)

Jose Lopez provided the assist for Alvarez’s stunning 112th-minute effort after coming on in place of Leandro Paredes just moments earlier.

Facing the media shortly after the final whistle, the Palmeiras forward vowed to ‘leave our lives on the field’ against England and fight ‘until the last second’.

‘Obviously inside and outside the four lines of the pitch it’s a matchup that has a lot of history there, a lot of pain and a lot of things behind it,’ he said.

‘I think we are professionals and we’re going to play it like we play every game: until the last second, leaving our lives on the field.’

England’s eagerly anticipated semi-final clash against Argentina takes place at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Wednesday, 15 July at 20:00 BST.

Remarkably, it will represent the first time that the great Messi will line up in an international fixture against the Three Lions in what will be the forward’s 206th appearance for his country.

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^ ^ 11.07.26

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^ ^ ‘Foolishness!’ – Ian Wright and Roy Keane hit back at ‘sour grapes’ from Erling Haaland’s dad after England win

Alf-Inge Haaland watched Norway’s defeat to England alongside John Arne Riise (Picture: Getty)

Ian Wright and Roy Keane have hit back after Erling Haaland’s father, Alfie, sarcastically congratulated referee Clement Turpin following England dramatic World Cup quarter-final victory over Norway.

Norway drew first blood in a tense but absorbing contest as Andreas Schjelderup beat Jordan Pickford from the tightest of angles to open the scoring in the 36th minute at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium.

But England found an equaliser on the stroke of half-time through an inspired Jude Bellingham, who fired a composed left-footed finish beyond Orjan Nyland to cue rapturous celebrations amongst the Three Lions’ travelling support.

There was a huge moment of contention after the restart as Torbjorn Heggem appeared to restore Norway’s advantage with an emphatic close-range effort from a corner, only for the goal to be disallowed for a shove on Elliot Anderson from Haaland in the build-up.

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The Manchester City striker looked apoplectic as referee Turpin confirmed his decision, before Bellingham saved England again with 93rd-minute strike on the rebound to send Thomas Tuchel’s men through to the semi-finals.

England will do battle with Argentina for a place in this year’s final after Lionel Messi and Co advanced through courtesy of a 3-1 victory over Switzerland in Kansas.

Bellingham inspired England to victory in Miami (Picture: Getty)

Haaland cut a frustrated figure up front for Norway (Picture: Getty)

Haaland’s dad, Alfie, was an ever-present figure in the stands throughout Norway’s unforgettable campaign and was once again pictured going through all the emotions on Saturday night.

Shortly after the game, he wrote on X, ‘Well done Bellingham and referee,’ in response to Fabrizio Romano’s tweet about the game.

Five hours later and it was clear Haaland snr was still not over the result, with the 53-year-old suggesting Norway had been ‘robbed’ of a place in the semi-finals.

‘Really? Saved by the referee,’ he said in response to Henry Winter’s tweet praising England match-winner Bellingham.

‘Hope you win the WC now. But feel we got robbed today.’

Haaland snr suggested Norway had been ‘robbed’ (Picture: X)

Reacting to Alfie Haaland’s remarks on Stick to Football, ex-England and Arsenal striker Wright was less than sympathetic, insisting Norway only had themselves to blame after a series of big ‘mistakes’.

‘Is that sour grapes from Alf-Inge Haaland, saying well done to Bellingham and the referee?’ he asked.

‘I think that was just a bit of a low blow from him.’

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On Heggem’s disallowed goal, Wright continued: ‘He can’t surely be referring to that because that was just a ridiculous push [from Haaland].

‘In that particular moment, he’s like six or seven inches taller, why does he need to be that aggressive with him?

‘It’s a massive foul. You can’t be talking that.’

England won fair and square, says Wright (Picture: Getty)

Shortly after the final whistle, an official statement from FIFA stressed that there was ‘no evidence’ to back up Norway’s claims that one of the Spidercam wires had been struck by the ball in the build-up to Bellingham’s equaliser.

‘If they’re the governing body and they’re saying that’s it,’ Wright responded.

‘I’m not saying that FIFA are holier than thou, but if there’s not enough in it for them to overturn it, what we gonna do here.

‘If their goalkeeper had an unbelievable game, a blinder, this and that, doesn’t make that mistake… if [Alexander] Sorloth squares it, they’re 2-0 up before half-time, you’re not saying none of this!

‘They lost this game because they made mistakes in that game. It’s not because of the referee, the ball hitting the wire or whatever else they’re saying. Foolishness!’

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Roy Keane felt Norway had a right to feel slightly aggrieved as a result of the officiating on show in Miami.

However, the former Manchester United captain suggested Haaland snr let emotions get the better of him with his reaction on social media.

‘I think the referee was giving England a lot of calls, 50-50s. I’m not talking about the major ones,’ Keane said.

‘He seemed to be just on the side of England which can happen in a game.

‘I’m not sitting here going, “He’s cost Norway”, absolutely not. But there was calls when you’re going… it could have gone the other way.’

Haaland scored seven goals in an extraordinary debut World Cup (Picture: Getty)

He later joked: ‘Will he remember the game? Because he always seems to be drinking alcohol at the matches, the dad.

‘No, he does! If you’re having a drink then you’re seeing the game differently.

‘Listen, I’ll always be trying to go the other way [against England] a little bit, if it’s 50-50, but the push is a push and then he heads it, so there you go.

‘Families and fans after games, we saw the interviews with the England manager, Bellingham, family members, they’re all a bit emotional so you try and give them the benefit of the doubt.

‘But when people wake up tomorrow morning, you won’t be sitting there going, “The referee’s cost us”, you can’t.

‘You can argue a couple of decisions but you can’t say, “He’s cost us”, no.’

Kane and Co are two games away from the promised land (Picture: Getty)

Former England and Manchester United defender Gary Neville echoed Keane’s comments, adding: ‘No, I didn’t think it was a game where, as an England fan, that I thought we were lucky because of the referee.

‘I thought against Ghana we were lucky, when Ezri Konsa’s penalty wasn’t given, and that’s when you are lucky, when you think you’ve got away with one.’

Wright singled out Marc Guehi for special praise, applauding the defender for unsettling Haaland and refused to get ‘bullied’ by his Manchester City team-mate.

‘If one of the Ghanaian’s dads, if that fella’s [tackled by Konsa] dad said well done to Bellingham and the referee, I would have said, “You can’t argue with that!”‘ he said.

Tuchel’s men face Argentina in the semi-finals (Picture: Getty)

‘He [Haaland] must be carrying something. But you know what happens sometimes when you’re playing against a team-mate? Things happen sometimes when you totally dominate them or it goes the other way.

‘And I thought that Marc Guehi, in every type of interaction, I thought he was amongst him, he didn’t get bullied off it, he fought for it.’

Haaland appeared frustrated as he was substituted for Jorgen Strand Larsen in the closing stages, bringing an end to an exceptional debut World Cup for the centre-forward, in which he finished with seven goals to his name.

According to Keane, Haaland was let down by a lack of ‘service’ and Norway were ultimately beaten by a team with a ‘bit more quality’.

The Three Lions came from behind to advance through (Picture: Getty)

‘I wouldn’t say he had a bad game!’ he said of Haaland’s performance.

‘Before the game, we were saying about how he scores every 14 touches, so the fact is in general play…

‘And also, for the other lads playing against him, obviously it depends on a bit of service.

‘You look at games, you get to a quarter-final and they’ve done brilliant… you’ve ran your race, they’ve just ran their race.

‘You just couldn’t imagine Norway in the semi-finals, could you? And England have one or two players with a bit more quality than Norway.’

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^ ^ Who could England play next at the World Cup if they beat Norway?

England are three games from glory (Picture: Getty)

England will play Norway in the quarter-finals of the World Cup tonight with a place in the semi-finals the reward for the winners.

Thomas Tuchel’s men will start the match in Miami as the favourites but will be wary of a Norway side boasting the likes of Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard.

Victory over the Scandinavians would represent a significant step forward in England’s quest to win their first trophy for 60 years, with just two gamesstanding between them and glory if they triumph in Florida this evening.

Here’s who, and when, England could play in the semi-finals and final should everything go according to plan over the next week.

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Who could England play in the semi-final?

Should England beat Norway, their semi-final match will be against either Argentina or Switzerland, who meet each other in the early hours of Sunday morning.

England play Norway on Saturday (Picture: Getty)

The game would take place on Wednesday, July 15, with kick-off at 8pm BST.

Atlanta, which played host to England’s Round of 32 win over DR Congo, would be the location for the semi-final showdown.

England have not played Argentina in a competitive game since a group stage meeting at the 2002 World Cup, which the Three Lions won 1-0.

Switzerland, meanwhile, were beaten on penalties by England in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 following a 1-1 draw after extra-time.

Who could England play in the final?

Should they make it all the way to the final, England would play either Spain or France in New Jersey on Sunday, July 19, with kick-off at 8pm.

France booked their place in the last four with victory over Morocco, while Spain overcame Belgium to set up the clash between the European heavyweights.

Their semi-final will take place a day before England’s potential last four match on Tuesday, July 14.

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^ ^ How England can stop Erling Haaland and sink the Viking Row at the World Cup

Norway and Haaland stand in England’s way tonight (Picture: Image Photo Agency/Getty Images)

In his exclusive column for Metro, former England World Cup star David James looks ahead to tonight’s showdown with Norway and Erling Haaland with a place in the World Cup semi-finals on the line.

I think we are all still recovering a bit from what happened at the Azteca in the early hours of Monday morning.

It was probably the best game I have seen from England in the World Cup. In terms of the performance, there has been comparison with the 5-1 victory over Germany as the best game England have ever played. That game was total dominance from England against a powerful nation.

What we saw against Mexico had a bit of everything, rounded off by them holding their nerve on the biggest stage. England needed a bit of everything. The quality of the goals was immense but there was a requirement for defending and it was a better all-round performance from everybody. But I still think there is more.

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What I found really interesting was listening to Thomas Tuchel afterwards saying he was disappointed they didn’t play the way they trained. That’s good. It means there is more left when we come up against better opposition. I wouldn’t mistake the Mexico result and performance as overconfidence when it comes to winning the tournament. There is still a lot of work to be done.

But I have spoken to a lot of fans since and everyone came to the conclusion that we watched something magnificent. And England needed that. I’m not getting carried away but where there have been issues we have seen immediate improvement.

This team believes in everything the manager asks. And it sounds like he has seen more than we have seen in them behind the scenes and I believe he will get that out of them. Our best game has to be in the final. It is about building to that – if we can do it, we will be one happy nation.

A heroic night for England (Picture: Eric Verhoeven/Soccrates/Getty Images)

How England will deal with Erling Haaland

Marc Guehi and John Stones will of course know their Manchester City teammate Erling Haaland very well. While he is up front, he still orchestrates the tempo of that Norway side. He gets the ball when he wants it. The players will know how he plays. But I can’t imagine for one minute England will allow Norway to slow down and recycle the ball until Erling is ready. Therefore, the pressure on him will be big, he will have less opportunity to dictate the tempo of his team’s performance.

We know all about his goalscoring – he is having an incredible World Cup. So far, he hasn’t had many shots from outside the box. 16 of his 17 shots in this competition have come from within the box. I’ve studied him over the years, he generally doesn’t shoot from outside the box. And Stones and Guehi who know him extremely well will know that. Yes, he can do the unexpected, it is something you have to be wary of. But stopping the source will be England’s key.

Haaland in fearsome form (Picture: Mark Smith/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)

Last season for City, Haaland had 12 shots outside the box in the Premier League, more than any of his previous seasons playing for the club. I think that came from City not always functioning as well and he wasn’t always able to do what he does so well. At times last season for City, he was frustrated with not getting the service, prompting him to start shooting outside the box.

You would like to think Guehi and Stones know this and will make it work to their advantage and frustrate him. I think we could see that on Saturday. Stop the crosses, stop Norway’s flow on the ball, stop Haaland. It sounds easy, but what we have seen from England is they have the energy and ability to do that and win the game.

Of course, we know Haaland is absolutely on it at the moment and is confident taking any shot on, believing he will score. But if he’s not getting the ball, he’s not going to score.

Pickford vs Nyland – two men in superb form

I also take huge encouragement from Jordan Pickford’s performance against Mexico. What he did aerially, his presence, his decision making, his execution, it was all superb. It took pressure off the defence. If Norway target aerial duels all evening, when you have a goalkeeper looking that confident and courageous, it bodes well and it will make Norway question themselves.

Pickford made vital saves against Mexico (Picture: Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

On the topic of goalkeepers, Ørjan Nyland had an exceptional game in goal against Brazil. If he didn’t have that sort of night, they don’t win that game. You would argue though he will need to have a similar sort of game against England because we will create chances. With England, it is a very different proposition from Brazil. England are a better defensive unit across the back than Brazil are. Norway had so much freedom up against that Brazilian midfield and I just don’t think England will allow them to do that again.

Mainoo had to wait against Mexico but chance could now beckon

There wasn’t an opportunity for Kobbie Mainoo to get on the pitch with the sending off against Mexico. I loved the changes Tuchel made that night; Dan Burn for example was told get on there and do not let anyone score. He did what he was told and he was magnificent.

Mainoo still to see a minute of action (Picture: Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images)

Everyone knew their role and improved the defensive side of things. Declan Rice was superb in midfield. Ironically, he looked fresher with less rest than he did earlier in the competition but there will still have to be consideration for that.

I still think there is room for Kobbie Mainoo. I just can’t understand how he hasn’t figured at all at the moment. I doubt he’ll start against Norway and we could see the same starting XI as Mexico – with the exception of the suspended Jarell Quansah – because there has been a bit more time for rest to get players recharged. But I think subs will have a key role to play again.

David James wrote for Metro ahead of England’s quarter-final clash against Norway, brought to you via PlayGuy.co.uk.

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