Messi says Argentina's continued success is unusual as they reach World Cup semi-finals
Lionel Messi described Argentina's sustained performance after winning the World Cup as atypical, as the team advanced to a semifinal against England following a 3-1 extra-time victory over Switzerland.
Argentina defeated Switzerland 3-1 after extra time in Kansas City on Saturday to book a place in the World Cup semi-final, where they will meet England on Wednesday. The match turned after Breel Embolo received a second yellow card and was sent off, leaving the Swiss with ten men.
Messi told ESPN Argentina that the team's ability to remain among the world’s best after winning the title is "not normal" and that fans should enjoy the moment. He added that the squad will rest, recover and prepare for the upcoming semifinal.
Alexis Mac Allister opened the scoring, Dan Ndoye equalised for Switzerland, and Julián Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez scored in extra time to secure the win. Messi noted that the red card changed the dynamics but the match remained challenging, with Argentina struggling to maintain possession at times.
The upcoming semi-final will be Messi’s first encounter with England, a nation he said he has only seen in historic footage from the 1986 World Cup. He said the match will be approached as a standard World Cup semi-final against a strong opponent, with the team aiming to be in the best possible condition.