Former Star Joe Cole Confident England Will Defeat Messi's Argentina to Reach World Cup Final

On Wednesday at 22:00, Lionel Messi will face England for the first time in his career during the 2026 World Cup semifinal. Former England midfielder Joe Cole expressed strong confidence that England will "put Messi to sleep" and advance to the final. Speaking on Netflix's "The Rest is Football," Cole, 39, said, "We will have to put him to sleep. Sorry, we are going to put him to sleep, 100 percent." This will be Cole's first match against England as a national player, 24 years after the teams last met in a World Cup.

When former defender Mika Richards cautioned Cole about his bold statement, Cole stood firm, adding, "I am 100 percent sure. I am saying it now - England will reach the World Cup final. I feel it in my bones." Meanwhile, Scottish former striker Ally McCoist was more cautious, ranking England as the third-best team among the final four but acknowledging that Argentina's defense is imperfect. McCoist warned that Messi can create chances from nowhere, which England must guard against.

Messi himself reflected on the historic encounter after Argentina's 3-1 quarterfinal win over Switzerland. "It's a special game. It will be my first time against England," said the Argentine captain. "I've played against almost all the big teams except England. They have a great tradition, and it's always special to be part of such a game, especially in a World Cup semifinal."