Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has expressed confidence in his team's condition ahead of their FIFA World Cup semifinal match against England on Wednesday, July 15th, 2026. Despite an aging squad led by 39-year-old Lionel Messi, Scaloni said the team is "in good shape" and has no concerns about fatigue after tough knockout rounds.

The world champions have battled through challenging matches, including a 3-2 extra-time win over Cape Verde, a late comeback to defeat Egypt 3-2 in Atlanta, and a 3-1 victory against 10-man Switzerland after another exhausting extra half-hour last Saturday.

Scaloni acknowledged the significance of the upcoming match, which revives the historic rivalry between Argentina and England. The two teams have met five times previously in World Cups, most famously in the 1986 quarterfinal in Mexico City when Diego Maradona scored the controversial “Hand of God” goal before securing victory with an outstanding solo effort. That match was played amid lingering tensions following Britain's 1982 military task force sent to reclaim the Falkland Islands after an Argentinian invasion.

“We are so grateful to these players for getting us here again,” Scaloni told reporters on the eve of the showdown in Atlanta. Reflecting on the team's journey, he added, “A month and a half ago, I would have taken getting to the semifinal if you had offered me that, so I don’t mind how we got here.”

The World Cup holders aim to reach consecutive finals by overcoming Thomas Tuchel’s England side in a fixture that also evokes the ongoing sovereignty dispute over the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic.

Sources