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Former Star Joe Cole Confident England Will Defeat Messi's Argentina to Reach World Cup Final
How 2 Israeli newsrooms covered this story — translated into English and compared side by side.
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First reported by Walla · Jul 13, 2026
What happened
Ahead of the 2026 World Cup semifinal, former England star Joe Cole confidently predicts England will defeat Lionel Messi's Argentina to reach the final, marking Messi's first-ever match against England. Messi acknowledged the significance of the encounter after Argentina's quarterfinal win.
- 01Lionel Messi faces England for the first time in the 2026 World Cup semifinal on Wednesday.
- 02Joe Cole confidently predicts England will "put Messi to sleep" and reach the final.
- 03Cole stands firm despite caution from former defender Mika Richards.
- 04Scottish ex-striker Ally McCoist ranks England third among semifinalists but warns about Messi's threat.
- 05Messi calls the match special, noting it's his first against England and a World Cup semifinal.
- 06Argentina defeated Switzerland 3-1 to reach the semifinal against England.
Summary translated & synthesized from the sources below by baba. Read each original for the full report.
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