Lionel Scaloni Downplays England Rivalry Ahead of World Cup Semi-Final

Kansas City: Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni played down the historical rivalry with England ahead of their blockbuster FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal, insisting that the highly anticipated encounter is ‘just a football match’ and should not be turned into something more.

The victory set up a semifinal showdown with England on Thursday at Atlanta Stadium, adding another chapter to one of the World Cup’s most storied rivalries. However, Scaloni sought to lower the temperature ahead of the high-profile clash.

“It’s just a football match; let’s not make it something else. We’re playing a great team, led by a great coach who I appreciate and admire a lot. It’s just a football match, nothing else,” he said after the match, as quoted by Buenos Aires Herald.

Despite Argentina’s below-par performance against Switzerland, Scaloni stressed the significance of reaching another World Cup semifinal and described the last four as “a privileged place to be in football.”

“It’s hard not to suffer on your way to a World Cup semi-final,” he said. IANS

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