Lionel Messi makes a bold statement about England and sends a friendly warning to the Three Lions players.
Lionel Messi has shared some kind words about Thomas Tuchel’s England team, calling them a “powerhouse” as he gets ready to play against the Three Lions for the first time in his career.
The 39-year-old, who is currently tied as the top scorer at this summer’s World Cup with eight goals, has achieved almost everything since his Argentina debut in 2005. He played a big part in ending Argentina’s 28-year wait for a trophy by winning the Copa America and also led them to a famous World Cup win in 2022 in Qatar.
Messi has scored 125 goals in 200 games for Argentina, but surprisingly, he has never played against England. The last time these teams met was in November 2005 during a friendly before the 2006 World Cup. Back then, England came from behind to win 3-2 in Switzerland, with goals from Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney. Messi missed that game because he was suspended after being sent off in his very first international match just 30 seconds after coming on.
Now, 20 years later, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner will finally face England when Argentina plays Tuchel’s team at Atlanta Stadium on Wednesday (June 15). After Argentina’s 3-1 win over Switzerland secured their spot in the semi-finals, Messi described England as a “powerhouse.”
He told ESPN Argentina, “I’ve only seen the Argentina vs. England game from 1986 through videos that Argentinians always watch. This team is used to playing tough matches no matter who the opponent is. Playing against England is special because they’re a strong team, and matches like that are always special.”
He added, “This will be my first time playing against them. I’ve played against all the other top teams, so it will be exciting for that reason. It’s a World Cup semi-final against a great team, and we’ll do our best to be ready and compete.”
Later, Messi shared a message on Instagram, praising the team’s spirit after their tough win. He said Argentina will “never stop believing” on the pitch. He wrote, “We suffered again, but this team never stops believing. We’re in the top four in the world again!!! Let’s go!”