Lionel Scaloni Downplays History Ahead of Argentina vs England World Cup Clash
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni says historical and political tensions will not influence their 2026 World Cup semi-final against England. Former Nigeria captain Mikel Obi backs Argentina, citing England's midfield vulnerabilities.
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Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has dismissed the significance of historical and political tensions ahead of their 2026 World Cup semi-final against England. "War has nothing to do with England game," Scaloni said, according to BBC Sport.
The match has drawn widespread attention beyond sport, but Scaloni emphasized that the focus remains strictly on football. "History and politics between England and my country will have nothing to do with their World Cup semi-final," he stated.
Former Super Eagles captain Mikel Obi expressed support for Argentina ahead of the tie, citing Lionel Messi and Julián Álvarez as key threats. "I’m a Messi fan, I want Argentina to win," Obi said in a post published by Complete Sports. He added that England’s midfield has struggled to control space during the tournament and predicted Messi and Álvarez would exploit those weaknesses.
Meanwhile, Mikel addressed claims of bias in tournament scheduling, responding to conspiracy theories circulating among some fans. "If they won their games, which they should have done, they would not play tougher teams," he said, referencing Argentina’s path in the competition. "Argentina did their job, they won their games, and they got into the easier group," he added, according to Vanguard News.