Argentina vs. England: Coach Scaloni outlines process to reach World Cup finals

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni believes his side will have to do more than rely on fighting spirit when they face England in the World Cup semi-finals on Wednesday, saying the defending champions must also play the kind of football that has brought them success in recent years.

Argentina did not have an easy way to the last four. Despite Lionel Messi scoring eight goals in the tournament, the world champions were hard pressed Cape Verde, Egypt and Switzerland in the knockout rounds.

These victories convinced Scaloni that his players had the character to deal with difficult situations. But against an England side led by Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, he wants Argentina to be at their best on the ball too.

“We have a lot of desire and ambition. We need to play football, play with the ball, which is where we’ve always been strongest,” Scaloni told reporters in Atlanta on Tuesday.

“We need the players, especially those who led us to great football, to be seen tomorrow.”

Scaloni praised Kane and Bellingham, naming them among the best players in the world, but said Argentina had a clear plan to limit their influence.

“They are two great players, they are among the best in the world. They are players that every coach would like to have,” said Scaloni.

“We’re going to try to disable them with our own weapons and prevent them from playing well. We have our game plan and we hope to execute it tomorrow.”

Since taking over in 2018, Scaloni has turned Argentina into one of the most consistent teams in international football. The Albiceleste have now reached the semi-finals of two World Cups and three Copa America tournaments during his tenure.

The Argentina coach believes that experience can help his players stay calm in the next high-pressure game.

“We have a bit of experience playing games like this,” he said. “It doesn’t give you a real advantage, but maybe it brings you into the game with a little more composure, and that’s something we’ve earned.”

Scaloni said the players were excited about the opportunity to reach another World Cup final but knew they would have to earn it against a strong England team.

“We are joyful, delighted, anxious, excited and want to celebrate with our people,” he said. “We want to give them the joy of seeing their national team play to their full potential.

“Of course, our opponent is also a great team. Nothing will be easy. Nothing will be given and we will try to reach the final. And we will try to enjoy the game.”

Argentina’s position against England also brought back memories of the Falklands War in 1982. However, Scaloni made it clear that the match should only be seen as a sporting contest.

“The truth is, it’s a football game,” he said. “I can’t mix things up, especially out of respect for what happened so many years ago.

“It was a very sad time in our history. And there’s not much we can do about it. This is a football game, nothing more.”

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Issued by:

Saurabh Kumar

Published on:

15 Jul 2026 07:32 IST