'Team Isn't Playing as Bad as People Say': Argentina Coach Fires Back Before England Clash

Argentina are just one victory away from reaching another FIFA World Cup final, but head coach Lionel Scaloni believes the defending champions are receiving unfair criticism over their performances.

Ahead of Wednesday's blockbuster semi-final against England in Atlanta, Scaloni dismissed suggestions that Argentina have underperformed during their title defence, insisting that reaching the last four with a perfect record speaks for itself.

Why is Argentina facing criticism?

Despite winning all six of their matches at the FIFA World Cup 2026, questions have been raised over whether Argentina have looked as dominant as they did during their triumphant 2022 campaign.

The defending champions needed extra time to overcome both Cape Verde and Switzerland, while they also had to recover from a 2-0 deficit to beat Egypt in the Round of 16. Those performances have prompted scrutiny despite Argentina maintaining a flawless record.

Scaloni, however, believes the criticism ignores what his side has achieved.

"The team isn't playing as bad as people say. We must have done something right to reach this stage," Scaloni said, according to ESPN.

What did Scaloni say about Argentina's campaign?

The Argentina coach praised his players for sustaining one of the most successful periods in the nation's football history.

"I'm grateful to the players. They've led us to three titles and now another semifinal. We're just one step away, and we're going to give it our all to get there,” he said.

Scaloni also made it clear that aesthetics are no longer the priority at this stage of the tournament. For him, simply reaching the semi-finals is what matters most.

“Honestly, I don't dwell on whether we're in the exact way I wanted to play," Scaloni said, as per ESPN. “Because a month-and-a-half ago, I would have jumped at the chance to be in a World Cup semifinal, getting there however possible.”

He added, "It doesn't matter to me. So, the state we're in doesn't matter. I have no complaints. Whether we're tired or not, it makes no difference. We're in a World Cup semi-final. Now, I'm incredibly excited; we all are happy. We look at the condition we're in, and we're ready to play the match.”

How have Argentina reached the semi-finals?

Argentina topped Group J with victories over Algeria, Austria and Jordan before eliminating Cape Verde, Egypt and Switzerland in the knockout rounds.

The reigning champions now head into the semi-finals on a 12-match World Cup winning streak and are aiming to become back-to-back world champions.

Wednesday's match will also mark Argentina's fourth consecutive FIFA World Cup semi-final appearance after reaching the last four in 2014, 2018 and winning the tournament in Qatar in 2022.

Beyond the World Cup, Scaloni's team has also lifted consecutive Copa America titles in 2021 and 2024, underlining one of the most successful eras in Argentine football.

Why is the Argentina-England rivalry significant?

The semi-final revives one of international football's most famous rivalries, shaped by memorable World Cup meetings and the historical backdrop of the 1982 Falklands War.

However, Scaloni stressed that the political history should remain separate from the sporting occasion.

“The reality is that this is a football match. I can't mix things up, especially out of respect for what happened so many years ago,” Scaloni said.

He continued, "It was a very sad period in our history, and there isn't much we can do about it, that's the reality."

"It is a football match. There's no getting around that. Things are happening elsewhere in the world, and we criticise the existence of war, so for me to start saying this is anything more than a football match... it seems crazy to me. We certainly remember those people, of course. But it is a football match; we shouldn't confuse the two," he concluded.

What is at stake in the semi-final?

Argentina will face England in Atlanta, with the winners advancing to meet Spain in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19.

England booked their place in the last four after coming from behind to defeat Norway 2-1 after extra time in the quarter-finals. Thomas Tuchel's side are chasing their first World Cup final appearance since lifting the trophy in 1966, while Argentina are bidding to move one step closer to successfully defending their world title.

(With inputs from ANI)