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Former England star Joe Cole has made a bold statement ahead of the World Cup semi-final, claiming that the Three Lions will “put Lionel Messi to bed” when they take on Argentina. Despite the challenge of facing the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, Cole insists that England’s pace and intensity will be too much for the South American giants to handle.

Cole’s fearless prediction for the Atlanta semi-final

With excitement reaching fever pitch as England prepare for their fourth World Cup semi-final, Cole has taken the lead with an audacious forecast. Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast, the former Chelsea and West Ham winger expressed firm belief that Thomas Tuchel’s squad possess the qualities needed to neutralise the legendary Argentine captain. “We’ll have to put Lionel Messi to bed,” Cole declared on the show. “We’re going to put him to bed.”

When fellow pundit Micah Richards warned him about making such a confident claim, Cole refused to back down. “We are, 100 per cent,” he reiterated. “I’m saying it now – England are going to the World Cup final. We’ve got too much pace for Argentina, and we’re going to beat them. I can feel it in my bones!”

England and Argentina’s journey to the last four

England booked their semi-final berth after a narrow 2-1 win over Norway in the quarter-finals, with Jude Bellingham scoring twice to secure the victory. Though the performance was not their most fluent, the result kept alive the nation’s dream of a first World Cup title since 1966. Argentina, on the other hand, endured a tougher route, needing extra time to defeat a stubborn Switzerland side that had been reduced to ten men following Breel Embolo’s red card.

Goals from Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez finally broke Swiss resistance, although Messi failed to score for the first time in the tournament. Despite drawing a blank, the 37-year-old remains joint-top scorer in the competition alongside France captain Kylian Mbappe, both with eight goals. His influence will once again be central in Wednesday’s clash, but Cole believes England’s defensive discipline will hold firm.

Mixed opinions on England’s chances

While Cole’s confidence is unshakable, not everyone shares his conviction that England are outright favourites. Former Scotland international Ally McCoist offered a more balanced perspective, suggesting England are currently behind their European rivals in overall quality. “At this moment in time, England are the third-best team left in the tournament,” McCoist commented. “France look like the best team in the competition, but focus on the semi-final first.”

He added: “The good news is that you’re facing a team I think you can beat. England are better than Argentina. Defensively, Argentina aren’t the strongest, but with Messi, you know he can produce something out of nowhere. That’s what they’ll have to be wary of. Still, what an incredible match we have ahead of us.”

Messi eager for his first clash with the Three Lions

Meanwhile, Lionel Messi himself has expressed excitement about the upcoming encounter, describing it as a “special” occasion. The Argentine talisman noted that this will be his first-ever meeting with England. “Playing against England is special because they are a powerhouse, and matches against powerhouses are always special,” Messi said. “Personally, it’s the first time I’ll be playing against them. I’ve faced almost everyone else, but not England, so it will be nice for that reason too. We’ll experience it for what it is – a World Cup semi-final against a powerhouse, a great team – and we’ll do our best to be in top condition to compete again.”