England face Argentina today in their bid to reach a second World Cup final. The psychological battle has already begun ahead of this high-voltage semi-final against the reigning world champions, with England defender Marc Guéhi insisting that all the pressure rests on Argentina’s shoulders.
The two nations have produced some epic World Cup encounters in the past. Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal at the 1986 World Cup remains an infamous chapter in English football history.
David Beckham’s red card during a knockout match at the 1998 World Cup also still lingers in fans’ memories. Off the pitch, tensions persist over the 1982 Falklands War — territory Argentina refers to as the Malvinas but which remains under British control.
England defender Ezri Konsa, however, made clear that the team is doing its best to stay focused away from these off-field narratives. “We just have to focus on ourselves. We have to try to put the past behind us and not get too caught up in it. We’ll aim to play our best game on the pitch.”
According to Marc Guéhi, the pressure lies with Argentina as the defending champions. “There’s no pressure on us. What pressure? They carry all the responsibility — they’re the world champions, and they have to defend that title. So there’s no pressure on us. Honestly, everyone in the squad is really excited. A stage this big, surrounded by world-class players — everyone is looking forward to the chance to play against them and get out on the field.”
Argentina captain Lionel Messi is in excellent form at this World Cup, currently leading the race for the Golden Boot with a joint-high eight goals, level with Kylian Mbappé.
But Guéhi was quick to point out that Argentina isn’t a one-man team. “Messi is a great player — probably one of the best in history. So we’ll do everything we can to stop him. But he won’t be the only threat on the pitch; they have plenty of other quality players in that team. So the most important thing for us is to stay focused on ourselves and execute our own game plan.”
Should England beat Argentina, they will reach the World Cup final for the second time since winning the title in 1966. Spain has already secured their place in the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, set for July 19.
