Former England midfielder, Joe Cole, has said that FIFA wants Argentina captain Lionel Messi to reach the final of the 2026 World Cup.
He said this prior to the semi-final match between England and Argentina tonight in Atlanta.
The Three Lions are set to face the Albiceleste in the knockout stage for the first time in 28 years, following their penalty shootout loss in the Round of 16 during the 1998 World Cup in France. England has not reached the final in 60 years, since their sole victory in 1966.
Under the management of Thomas Tuchel, England advanced to the semi-finals with a 2-1 comeback victory in extra time against Norway, while Lionel Messi and his teammates defeated 10-man Switzerland 3-1 in extra time.
In anticipation of this significant last-four encounter, Cole said according to Flokiaura,
“FIFA wants Messi to reach the final. I believe it is a subconscious desire. To maximize the potential of my group, it is clear that the entire world wishes to see Lionel Messi in the final. … This is a siege mentality because they must contend with the antics of the Argentinians, as we witnessed in ’98 with Simeone, when Beckham made contact with his calf.
“He is meant to portray toughness, yet he ended up rolling around, resulting in Beckham’s dismissal. They must navigate all of that and still perform. Therefore, they need to manage the antics effectively.”
He continued:
“If I were the manager, I would embrace that mentality, and I believe they will focus on Jude Bellingham. I anticipate that De Paul will be persistently challenging him. I am not suggesting any wrongdoing from FIFA. The global sentiment seems to favor Argentina, as they wish for Messi to succeed.
Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina is currently on an impressive 11-game winning streak. Will they be able to extend this run to secure a title match against the 2010 champions, Spain, on Sunday (July 19) in New Jersey?
World Cup: FIFA wants Lionel Messi to reach final – Ex-England star, Joe Cole
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