Argentina’s run in the World Cup knockout stage has certainly not been easy-peasy. The defending champions had to come through extra time to overcome Cape Verde 3-2 in the Round of 32 before making a comeback from 2-0 down to defeat Egypt 3-2 in the Round of 16. In the quarter-finals, they had to earn their keep against a 10-man Switzerland. Despite surviving two major scares, Lionel Messi and company continue to find ways to win- a trait that caught the attention of former USWNT star Megan Rapinoe.

“They’re not really playing that well but they’re winning. They know how to win. They’re one of those teams, similar to Spain, that are going to pass you to death and win 1-0… Argentina is just going to play a wild game and win at the end and like outlast you. They know exactly who they are,” Rapinoe said during a recent episode of A Touch More: The Beautiful Game on July 10.

She recorded the episode during Argentina’s 3-2 win against Egypt and pointed out how ‘crazy’ it was.

Before Argentina met with Cape Verde, Rapinoe expected the Latin Americans to advance comfortably. Rather, the underdogs of Africa pushed Argentina to the edge. That prediction miss resurfaced when her guest for the episode, Malala Yousafzai, reminded Rapinoe that Argentina had not “rolled through” Cape Verde as many expected.

Rapinoe laughed off the miss and jokingly defended her forecasting record. “I just wanted to assure everyone that my prediction machine will keep on chugging and I will not slow down the pace, probably nor the quality of the predictions that I’m making,” she said.

Rapinoe also expressed her admiration for the team from Cape Verde but also discussed Argentina’s status as one of the most dangerous teams remaining in the tournament, despite these tough matches. That ability has helped Argentina to keep their title defence alive, with their biggest challenge of the tournament just mere hours away.

Argentina’s toughest test yet awaits in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinal

Lionel Messi and the defending champions will face England in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinal on July 15. However, the game is not going to be easy. It will be Messi’s first senior international match against England.

The closest Messi got to England was in November 2005 when Argentina and England played a friendly match in Geneva. Argentina lost 3-2 after Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen, who scored twice, led England’s comeback. Messi was unavailable for that match after being sent off on his Argentina debut against Hungary earlier that year.

“It’s special because they’re a great team, a powerhouse, and it’s always nice to play a team like that, a match of this kind,” Messi told reporters.

With a spot in the World Cup final awaiting the winner, the semifinal promises to be one of the biggest tests of Argentina’s title defense. The victor will advance to the championship match on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey.