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England have been cautioned that they are up against an almost “impossible” mission as they prepare to contain Lionel Messi in their highly anticipated World Cup semi-final clash with Argentina. The Inter Miami talisman is set to face the Three Lions for the first time in his storied career, with a spot in the grand final at stake.

The Argentine legend continues to prove unstoppable.

Federico Fernandez, who once shared the Argentina dressing room with the eight-time Ballon d'Or recipient, has delivered a stark message for Thomas Tuchel’s men. Despite England’s tactical drills and defensive planning, Fernandez insists that two decades of football evidence show that any attempt to neutralise the 39-year-old forward tends to fail.

Discussing the challenge of dealing with the tournament’s top scorer, Fernandez told talkSPORT: “You can’t stop him. This question has come up for the past 20 years. He always finds a way to get on the ball — whether that’s by dropping deep or drifting wide. All he needs is one good pass and a bit of control to make a difference. Even if you assign a man-marker, it rarely works. Everyone has tried everything possible against him. I used to ask the coach to make sure we were on the same side during training so I didn’t have to mark him.”

Tuchel banking on the Haaland plan

Although Fernandez’s warning sounds ominous, Thomas Tuchel remains optimistic that his tactical structure can hold firm. The German coach takes confidence from England’s defensive display in the previous round, when they successfully limited another global superstar’s influence.

“It’s unbelievable how he manages to make it happen every single time — and in so many different ways,” Tuchel admitted. “He finds space, he finds moments, and the key thing is the whole team plays into that idea. We have to be courageous around him and cut off his support. He’s not the same type of player as Erling Haaland, but we handled Erling well, so we’ll find a way again.”

Kane urges against Messi obsession

Despite Messi’s eight goals in the tournament so far, England skipper Harry Kane believes it would be a mistake to focus exclusively on the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star.

Kane said: “He’s been one of the best — if not the best — players in the world for nearly 20 years. Everyone knows how dangerous he can be. But we’re playing Argentina, not just Messi. They’re a superb team with top-quality players. As much as the spotlight will be on Messi and other big names, we know it’s about more than that.”

Pickford calls for calm and belief

Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford echoed his captain’s words, urging his teammates to stay composed and trust their own strengths rather than being overwhelmed by the occasion. England have relied heavily on the strike partnership of Kane and Jude Bellingham, who have contributed 12 of the team’s 13 goals this summer. However, Pickford is confident that the defensive line can withstand whatever the reigning world champions have in store.

“Everyone will talk about Messi because he’s one of the GOATs of the game,” Pickford said. “But you can’t overlook the quality and talent we have in this squad — both in attack and defence — and our unity.

“We’ve got everything we need, and we have to show it on Wednesday. We’re ready for the challenge — it’s us versus them, and it’s all about who comes out on top. We’re fully prepared.”