Jordan Pickford acknowledged that facing Argentina‘s Lionel Messi will be one of the defining moments of his career with England. The goalkeeper will have the mission of stopping the Argentine captain in the 2026 World Cup semifinal, a match that will determine one of the tournament’s final contestants.
Heading into the matchup against the reigning world champions, Pickford avoided narrowing the analysis strictly to Lionel Messi during his press conference, though he recognized the challenge of facing the Argentine captain for the first time.
“Everyone will talk about Messi because he is one of the GOATs of this sport, but you cannot overlook the ability and talent we have in the squad,” Pickford noted. “We cannot limit ourselves to talking only about Messi. They are a good team and they are the current champions, but we have a lot of quality in our squad, also in attack, and we are hard to beat. We have that resilience, that cohesion, and that mentality. That is what makes a good team.”
Pickford’s admiration for Messi
Pickford also made it clear that facing Messi is one of his dreams. In this historic context, it will surely be even more special for the goalkeeper, marking a duel that goes beyond defining a finalist to carry heavy historical weight.
Lionel Messi #10 of Argentina during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 match.
“It will be special to face Messi, I have been watching him since I was little,” Pickford declared during the pre-match press conference for the fixture scheduled for Wednesday, July 15, in Atlanta. The goalkeeper explained that the Argentine has been involved in a significant number of goals throughout his career, making the matchup a massive personal challenge.
This will mark the first time Pickford plays against Argentina, while Messi has also never faced England with the senior national team. It is a situation the goalkeeper views as part of the appeal of a semifinal loaded with history. “For me, it is the first time playing against Argentina,” Pickford expressed.
The weight of history is not passed down
Beyond the sporting rivalry between both countries, the English goalkeeper attempted to tone down the drama and asked for the focus to remain exclusively on soccer. Much like Lionel Scaloni, who previously highlighted that politics should be left aside, Pickford sought to lower the tension surrounding the match.
“I think it is just a soccer match and both fanbases, who are so passionate, will go there to see high-level soccer. Soccer unites fans, it unites nations. We are two proud nations,” Pickford affirmed.
The goalkeeper also referenced the historical track record between Argentina and England, with memories that span generations from Mexico 1986 to France 1998. However, he called to leave the past behind. “Now we just have to focus on ourselves, as the England national team, and give our best to beat another great national team. It is us against them to secure a spot in the final,” Pickford concluded.
