Messi Discovers England Keeper Pickford’s Penalty Notes After Argentina’s World Cup Win
Translated & summarized from Walla by baba
After Argentina's 2-1 win over England in the 2026 World Cup semifinal, Lionel Messi and teammates found goalkeeper Jordan Pickford's water bottle containing notes on Argentine penalty takers. The notes were never used as Argentina scored late goals to avoid a shootout, advancing to the final against Spain.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Argentina defeated England 2-1 in the 2026 World Cup semifinal with late goals by Fernandez and Martinez.
- After the match, Argentina found Pickford's water bottle with notes on their penalty kick preferences.
- Messi and teammates examined the notes, with Fernandez reacting humorously upon seeing his name.
- Pickford has used such penalty notes successfully in past tournaments like Euro 2024.
- The match was intense with confrontations, but no penalty shootout occurred.
- Argentina advances to the final against Spain, while England misses the chance to use the notes.
Following Argentina's dramatic 2-1 victory over England in the 2026 World Cup semifinal, a humorous moment unfolded involving Lionel Messi and the English goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. After the final whistle, Argentina's team staff found Pickford's water bottle on the pitch, which had a sheet attached detailing the preferred penalty directions of Argentine players. This bottle was shown to Messi, Nicolas Gonzalez, and Marcos Senesi, with Messi carefully examining the notes. Ansu Fernandez, who scored a crucial goal late in the match, recognized his name on the list and reacted with a smile and laughter, gesturing to the sky in relief that the game did not proceed to a penalty shootout.
The match itself was intense and emotional, featuring several confrontations between players. England had taken the lead, with Pickford celebrating provocatively, but Argentina turned the game around with a stunning goal by Fernandez in the 86th minute and a stoppage-time winner by Lautaro Martinez. The turnaround ensured Argentina’s place in the final against Spain, eliminating the need for penalties and leaving Pickford’s notes unused.
Using detailed penalty notes has become common among goalkeepers in recent years, including Pickford, who successfully employed this tactic in previous tournaments such as Euro 2024. However, in this case, England never had the chance to test the effectiveness of the information. The incident was widely shared on social media, highlighting the blend of tension and humor in the high-stakes match. No official comments have been released yet regarding the discovery of the notes.
Argentina’s victory keeps their hopes alive for another World Cup title, while the amusing episode adds a lighthearted footnote to a fiercely contested semifinal.
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