Mikel Tips Argentina to Beat England in World Cup Semi-final
Former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel believes Argentina are favourites to beat England in tonight’s 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final.
The former Chelsea midfielder said Lionel Messi remains the biggest threat on the pitch and believes England will struggle to stop the Argentina captain.
Mikel, who faced Messi at the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cups, admitted that every team he played in tried to stop the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner but failed.
“I’m a Messi fan and I want Argentina to win,” Mikel said on the Rest is Football podcast.
“How do you stop Messi? We’ve all tried and we’ve all failed. He’s simply a genius and an incredible player.”
The 39-year-old recalled how former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho always came up with different plans to stop Messi before their matches against Barcelona.
“Mourinho always had ideas, but you can’t defend Messi one-on-one. It’s almost impossible,” Mikel said.
“He dribbles like the ball is attached to his feet. People talk about his goals, but his passing and vision are also among the best in the world.”
Mikel also warned England against asking midfielder Declan Rice to man-mark Messi.
He believes such a plan would leave space in midfield and play into Argentina’s hands.
“Argentina will win. England have not been at their best in this tournament. If Messi gets space in midfield, he will punish you,” Mikel added.
He also praised the experienced Argentina squad, saying they know how to protect Messi and perform in big matches.
England and Argentina will meet in the second World Cup semi-final at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, with kick-off scheduled for 8:00 pm WAT.
Meanwhile, England manager Thomas Tuchel has confirmed that Declan Rice has recovered from illness and is available for the match.
