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After Argentina’s dramatic World Cup semi-final victory over England, Lionel Messi and his team-mates were spotted studying Jordan Pickford’s water bottle, which was covered with detailed penalty shoot-out notes. The bottle circulated among the Argentine squad after they completed a late comeback to secure their place in the final.

Footage from the post-match celebrations showed Messi closely inspecting the bottle, which had been retrieved from the pitch by a member of Argentina’s coaching staff. The captain appeared intrigued by the notes attached to the side, which contained instructions about how to handle Argentina’s penalty takers.

The bottle was then shared around the dressing room, with Enzo Fernandez among those seen laughing after noticing his own name accompanied by notes outlining his preferred penalty direction and striking habits. The light-hearted moment followed Argentina’s dramatic turnaround that sealed their spot in the World Cup final.

Although Pickford had meticulously prepared information on Argentina’s likely penalty takers, England’s defeat in regular time meant his research was never put to use.

The video of the Argentine players examining the bottle quickly spread online, showing several members of the squad amused by the English goalkeeper’s level of preparation for a penalty shoot-out that ultimately never happened. It also underlined the level of detail Pickford brings to major matches, as he has become known for his extensive pre-match research throughout his international career.

Pickford’s preparation has often proved decisive for England in past shoot-outs, making such tactical notes a familiar part of his matchday setup. However, this time his work went unused, as a late equaliser from Fernandez and a stoppage-time header from Lautaro Martinez sent Argentina through before penalties were required.

Argentina will now focus on Sunday’s World Cup final against Spain, as Lionel Scaloni’s side aim to capture their second straight world crown. England, on the other hand, must regroup ahead of their third-place play-off against France on Saturday, after letting a semi-final lead slip away in the closing minutes.