Lionel Messi says facing England at the World Cup will be "something special"

Lionel Messi said facing England at the World Cup will be “something special,” as Argentina prepare for their semifinal against the European side. He noted it will be his first official meeting with England, despite a potential friendly in 2005 that never became an official record for him. Argentina’s forward explained he was absent because he received a red card in a prior friendly against Bulgaria, including an expulsion within the first 20 seconds of his debut. Messi, captain of Inter Miami, made the remarks during a pre-match press conference with less than 48 hours to go. The article frames the clash as more than sport due to the history between the nations and the broader political climate. It also points to Messi’s form, tying Kylian Mbapp as the tournament’s top scorer and becoming the all-time World Cup leading scorer, in a match where the loser would face difficulty recovering.