Argentina is “feeling good” and there are no worries about fatigue as the world champions aim for another final.
Published July 15, 2026
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni says he is not worried about fatigue or his team’s performance ahead of the FIFA World Cup semi-finals as they prepare to resume their rivalry with England on Wednesday.
The World Cup holders will be aiming to reach back-to-back finals after defeating Thomas Tuchel’s side in a match reminiscent of 1986, Diego Maradona and the protracted sovereignty dispute over the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic.
“We’re doing well and I really can’t wait. This is the World Cup semi-final and our hopes are intact. I’m very grateful to the players who got us here again,” Scaloni told reporters on the eve of the match in Atlanta.
Argentina, with an aging team led by 39-year-old Lionel Messi, needed to fight through the knockout stages to reach this point.
After being trailed twice, they defeated Cape Verde 3-2 in overtime. They then needed a late comeback to beat Egypt 3-2 in Atlanta, then needed to drain another 30 minutes of extra time to defeat 10-a-side Switzerland 3-1 last Saturday.
“If you had offered me that a month and a half ago, I would have made it to the semi-finals, so I don’t care how I got here,” said Scaloni, who led the Albiceleste to glory in 2022.
“You can’t blame the players. I don’t care if they’re tired or not. This is the semi-final of the World Cup.”
England and Argentina have clashed in the last five World Cups, most notably in the 1986 quarter-finals, when Diego Maradona scored the first goal with his infamous ‘Hand of God’ and then sealed victory with some great individual skill.
“I think everyone will remember that game and Diego’s performance, especially the second goal. It was so beautiful that it will stay in our hearts,” Scaloni said.
“It was a great goal. Every football fan remembers it that way. It happened to be against England.”
Tensions were high in Mexico City that day, as the match took place four years after Britain sent a military task force in 1982 to retake the Falkland Islands, which had been invaded by Argentine troops.
Mr. Scaloni has been trying in recent days to keep politics out of the semifinals.
“The reality is, this is a football game. I’m not going to confuse everything, especially with what happened a long time ago,” he said.
“This was a very sad time in our history. There’s not much we can do about it. It’s a football game, that’s all.”
Meanwhile, the former West Ham United defender admitted his team’s work will be put on hold to stop England stars Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane, who have scored 12 of the team’s 13 goals in this competition.
“We are always thinking about what we can improve and how we can neutralize these great players in the best way. We will probably make some changes, but there is also the possibility that we will play in the same team.”
“They are two of the best players in the world. Any manager would want to have them.”
