England x Argentina — resultado e estatísticas (15/07/2026)

England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford said ahead of the World Cup 2026 semi-final against Argentina that the team is taking things "step by step" and refusing to look past the next match, even though this marks a second World Cup semi-final and a third major tournament final run in a row for this generation. He noted this will be the first time England have ever faced Lionel Messi, but stressed the squad can't focus solely on him, since Argentina are a strong, hardworking team beyond just their captain.

Pickford praised opposing goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez as a top-level keeper, saying his "antics" are part of the game but that ultimately it comes down to making saves. He singled out Dan Burn, who came off the bench in the win over Mexico and made several crucial headed challenges and blocks, including one where he took a blow to the head.

Pickford acknowledged the historic rivalry between England and Argentina, including the 1986 and 1998 World Cup meetings, but said the current squad is focused purely on this game rather than past baggage. He also pointed out that Messi has missed two penalties at this World Cup, but doesn't believe that record will affect his confidence if he steps up in a decisive moment.

Pickford added that Argentina must also worry about England's own key threats, Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane, not just about stopping Messi.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni held a pre-match press conference ahead of the World Cup 2026 semi-final against England, saying the squad approaches the game with immense enthusiasm and is not dwelling on physical fatigue after a demanding tournament run. He confirmed the starting lineup has not yet been decided and did not rule out changes, stressing that selection decisions are based on players' current form rather than past contributions.

Asked about parallels with the historic 1986 clash and Maradona, Scaloni said he had not focused on that specifically and insisted tomorrow's game is simply a football match, separate from the tragic history between the two countries. He said he had not discussed opponent-specific details with Messi or any of his Premier League-based players, noting the staff studies England's national team setup rather than club football.

Asked about an on-field exchange between De Paul and Paredes, he called such discussions a normal part of football and said pressing decisions ultimately rest with the players on the pitch. Scaloni also praised Spain for their final-day win, calling them deserving winners and pointing to their steady improvement through the tournament.

He closed by urging fans to enjoy the moment, framing reaching another World Cup semi-final as a major achievement in itself regardless of the result against England.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni discussed his side's semi-final win over England at the 2026 World Cup, calling it one of the tournament's strongest displays of character. He said that in the final 40 minutes after England's goal from Gordon, his team showed not just tactics but grit, fight and unity as a group.

Scaloni singled out for praise the players who didn't start, saying their contribution was decisive, and noted that the toughest moment of the whole campaign was finalizing the squad list, not any match itself. He stressed that the result matters less to him than how the team handles adversity, and that giving everything until the final whistle is what he values most regardless of outcome.

The coach admitted that benching Rodrigo De Paul was personally painful, but defended it as a tactical decision, pointing out he had made similar calls before with Paredes, Otamendi and Di María. Looking ahead to the final against Spain, Scaloni called them a strong side that fairly won their own semi-final, adding that his staff had already scouted them and felt prepared for the match.

He deflected credit from himself, insisting the win belonged to the players and the entire coaching staff.

Tuchel called the game extremely close and admitted his side completely lost momentum after going 1-0 up, saying the goal paradoxically freed Argentina to play with more risk while England grew afraid of losing their lead and dropped into a deep block. He said his team simply wasn't active enough defensively — losing duels, failing to defend crosses, and struggling to stop runners into the box even after switching to back-five and 5-4-1 shapes.

Tuchel dismissed the idea of an "English curse" in late tournament stages, insisting it was purely a footballing problem of insufficient activity and lost ball possession, for which he takes responsibility as the coach. He accepted criticism over his substitutions, saying getting criticized after a loss is simply part of the job.

He praised the Argentine crowd's support, which made the match feel almost like an away game, and credited the opponent for raising their quality on the ball once they had nothing left to lose. Despite the disappointment, Tuchel called reaching the World Cup semi-final an achievement given how many major footballing nations were eliminated earlier.

He said the players gave everything and vowed the squad would recover professionally and be ready for Saturday's third-place match.