Lionel Messi

Messi expressed his excitement about facing England for the first time in a World Cup.

“It’ll be a special match because I’ve never played against England. They’re also a great team, one of the world’s powerhouses, and it’s always wonderful to play against sides like that. It’s an encounter that promises to be huge, even more so in a World Cup semi-final.”

Julian Alvarez

Álvarez praised England but insisted Argentina’s focus remains on themselves.

“A World Cup semi-final is always a difficult match. We’ve seen how they play and they’re a great team with players of incredible quality. But we’re focused on ourselves and on recovering well.”

Cristian Romero

Romero urged everyone to treat the occasion as football rather than anything else.

“It’s another match. We mustn’t confuse things. It’s football. We’re thinking about ourselves and showing the DNA this team has displayed over the last few years. The important thing is to play with heart and always try to be protagonists.”

Alexis Mac Allister

The Liverpool midfielder downplayed the historic rivalry.

“It’s a football match. We shouldn’t see it as anything else. It means a lot because it gives us the chance to reach another World Cup final, and we want to represent Argentina in the best possible way.”