Lionel Messi remarked that Argentina‘s extraordinary success is “not normal” following their victory over Switzerland, securing their spot in the World Cup semifinals against England.
Argentina triumphed over a resilient Switzerland side, winning 3-1 after extra time in Kansas City, capitalizing on a controversial red card issued to Breel Embolo.
This victory puts the three-time champions on track to defend their title—a feat never before achieved in their history.
“It’s nice to see the [Argentine] public enjoying this as much as we do. That’s our life,” Messi shared with ESPN Argentina.
“This team has made people accustomed to achieving what seems impossible: bouncing back from being world champions, winning everything, and continuing to compete at this level, reaching another semifinal… It’s not normal, which is why we must cherish this achievement.”
“We don’t know if it can happen again. We went a long time without being world champions. Everything we achieve now should be treasured. We will strive to recover our energy for the semifinal.”
On Saturday, Alexis Mac Allister opened the scoring for Argentina, but Dan Ndoye equalized for Switzerland in the 67th minute. Just as Switzerland began to gain momentum, Embolo was sent off after a VAR review reversed an initial decision and penalized him for diving, earning him a second yellow card.
Argentina eventually secured the win in extra time with a brilliant strike from Julián Álvarez and a late goal from Lautaro Martínez.
“We understand the challenges of this World Cup,” Messi stated. “We anticipated a tough match. Even with our early lead, they made it difficult for us. We struggled to maintain possession and sat back too much defensively. Their red card crucially shifted the dynamics, but it was still a challenging battle.”
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Argentina is set to face England in Atlanta on Wednesday—a team Messi has never played against. The rivalry between the two nations is well-documented, most notably during the 1986 World Cup, when Diego Maradona scored the infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal, followed by one of the greatest solo goals in tournament history.
“All I know about the Argentina-England matches from 1986 is from the videos and images that Argentinians constantly revisit,” Messi reflected. “However, this team is accustomed to playing big matches regardless of the opponent.”
“Facing England is special because they are a powerhouse, and matches against leading teams have a unique significance. Personally, it’s my first game against them. I’ve faced everyone else except England, so there’s that added excitement. We will treat it as what it is: a World Cup semifinal against a formidable opponent, and we will prepare ourselves to be in the best possible condition to compete once more.”
When asked about the significance of playing against a traditional rival like England, Rodrigo De Paul replied, “Yes, it’s something we’ve discussed. It’s going to be exciting, but as Scaloni said, it’s just a football game—with added importance because it’s a semifinal. But we are ready for it.”
De Paul further emphasized, “We believe in our approach. We are a confident team. Although it’s taken time, we find our goals. Though it can be frustrating for the fans, we’re delighted to be among the last four teams remaining.”
Information from ESPN’s Lizzy Becherano contributed to this story.