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Three Lions face their toughest challenge of the summer so far, with football pundits divided over their chances.

England have an opportunity on Wednesday to reach their first World Cup final since lifting the trophy in 1966. However, they will need to overcome reigning champions Argentina to do so, a daunting task that has sparked contrasting predictions among football analysts.

This encounter marks the first competitive meeting between the two nations since the 2002 World Cup, when England claimed a 1-0 victory in the group stage. This time, though, the stakes are far higher.

Neither Argentina nor England have hit their peak form this summer. Argentina narrowly edged past Cape Verde and Egypt in the round of 32 and round of 16 respectively, while England survived a scare against DR Congo before grinding out a win over Norway in the quarter-finals.

Despite that, England have reasons to be optimistic heading into what looks to be an evenly balanced semi-final on paper.

That optimism is shared by Gary Neville, who believes the Three Lions are well-positioned to reach their first final in six decades.

“England haven’t reached a World Cup final since 1966, and this is an unbelievable chance to win the World Cup,” Neville said during his appearance on The Overlap.

“This isn’t a vintage Argentina by any stretch – it’s not as strong as the Argentina side from four years ago, but they still pose a threat, of course, because they’ve got Messi and an incredible team spirit.”

Gary Neville remains confident that England have the quality needed to overcome Argentina.

Should England progress, they will meet either France or Spain in the final. Ian Wright believes that could represent an even sterner challenge for Thomas Tuchel’s team.

The former Arsenal striker, however, feels England’s style of play is well suited to facing Argentina. “If we play France or Spain, the level rises completely. It’s the final, after all, and that’s going to be tough,” he said.

“But I don’t fear Argentina the way I’d fear France or Spain, because I think there are a lot of weaknesses in their side.

“I think we’ll beat Argentina – not just because I want us to, but because of how they play. They’re very narrow, and if our wingers step up, we can block and counter effectively.”

Roy Keane, however, was quick to temper the optimism expressed by Neville and Wright, insisting that Argentina’s experience and quality could prove decisive in the semi-final.

“Honestly, I think England will fall short against Argentina,” said the Irishman. “Against France, definitely. Spain might be a different story – they could get through that one – but Argentina have too much. They’ll find something special in a tight match.”