Argentina reacts to England’s confident predictions ahead of World Cup semi-final
Argentine media have launched a furious attack on England’s former stars after Ian Wright and Joe Cole made bold predictions ahead of Wednesday night’s World Cup semi-final, reports BritPanorama.
The reigning world champions will meet England for the first time in 21 years in Atlanta, with a place in the World Cup final at stake. The confidence among several high-profile England pundits has not gone unnoticed in Buenos Aires, where leading Argentine newspaper Ole has accused England of showing a lack of respect towards Lionel Messi and his team-mates.
The backlash follows comments from former Arsenal striker Wright, who insisted he does not fear Argentina despite Lionel Scaloni’s side arriving in the semi-finals as defending champions. Speaking on Stick to Football, Wright stated, “If we get to a France or a Spain, I think the level goes to another place entirely. It’s got to be difficult – it’s the final, isn’t it? But I don’t fear Argentina like I’d fear France or Spain, because I think there are a lot of fallacies with them.”
Former Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole was equally bullish, predicting England would find a way to keep Messi quiet, stating, “We’re going to have to put him to sleep.” He expressed confidence, proclaiming, “I’m saying it now, we’re going to reach the World Cup final. We’ve got plenty of speed for Argentina and we’re going to beat them. I can feel it in my bones.”
Those remarks prompted a swift response in Argentina. Ole splashed the story across its front page, accusing England of underestimating the South American giants despite their recent dominance on the international stage. “England is downplaying us – respect the pecking order,” the newspaper declared.
Argentina arrive in Atlanta aiming to reach a second successive World Cup final after overcoming Switzerland in extra time, while England edged past Norway thanks to a Jude Bellingham brace. Scaloni’s side also carry an imposing recent record against the Three Lions; since England lifted the World Cup in 1966, Argentina have won the tournament three times and famously eliminated the Three Lions in both 1986 and 1998.
Despite that history, England’s former internationals believe they have the tools to end Argentina’s title defence. Gary Neville also questioned the reliability of Argentina’s defence, suggesting Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez and Tottenham centre-back Cristian Romero remain vulnerable despite their reputation. “They seem to give a goal away between them every single game. I call them the best, worst centre-half pairing in the world,” Neville noted.
The build-up has already become increasingly fiery away from the pitch. Following their victory over Switzerland, Argentina players were filmed celebrating in the dressing room while singing: “For the Malvinas, for Diego, for Leo’s last one” – a reference to the Falkland Islands, Diego Maradona and what is expected to be Messi’s final World Cup.
With tensions rising on both sides, Wednesday’s semi-final promises to be one of the most emotionally charged meetings between England and Argentina in recent history. Fans around the world, it seems, are in for a treat.
As the clash approaches, it remains to be seen whether predictions will shape the players’ performance or merely stoke the fires of this storied rivalry.
