Lionel Messi reacts to facing 'powerhouse' England in World Cup semi-final

World’s greatest ever player is set to face the Three Lions for the first ever time

Lionel Messi says it will be "special" to face England for the first time after Argentina set up a World Cup semi-final against the Three Lions. Argentina secured their place in the last four with a 3-1 extra-time victory over Switzerland on Saturday, while England also needed an additional 30 minutes to overcome Norway 2-1. The meeting in Atlanta on Wednesday will be the latest chapter in one of international football's most storied rivalries, although it will mark Messi's first appearance against England in an Argentina shirt.

Speaking after the win over Switzerland, the 38-year-old described England as a "powerhouse" and said the occasion would be one to savour. "Playing against England is special because they are a powerhouse, and matches against powerhouses are always special," Messi told ESPN Argentina. "It's the first time I'm going to play against them.

I've played against everyone except England, so it will be nice for that reason too. "We'll experience it for what it is: a World Cup semi-final against a great team, and we'll try to arrive in the best possible shape to compete again." Argentina and England share a long World Cup history, most famously their quarter-final meeting in 1986, when Diego Maradona scored both the controversial 'Hand of God' goal and one of the tournament's greatest solo efforts.

Their rivalry was further fuelled by David Beckham's red card during England's defeat in the 1998 World Cup last 16. Forward Jose Manuel Lopez acknowledged the significance of the fixture but insisted Argentina's focus remains solely on football. "It's a match-up with a lot of history, but we're professionals," he said.

"We'll approach it like every other game and give everything until the end." Julian Alvarez scored a stunning extra-time goal to help Argentina overcome 10-man Switzerland, and believes England will provide another major test. "We're very proud to be among the top four teams in the world," he said.

"England have impressive players and are a great team. Now we need to recover well and prepare for the game."