‘Messi can be a weakness’: Rooney spots Argentina's defensive gap ahead of England World Cup semi finals

For England, the challenge goes a little beyond just Argentina, as it's tackling football's unsolved puzzle: Lionel Messi.

As the two nations prepare to meet in a FIFA World Cup semi-final for the first time in 24 years in Atlanta on Wednesday, the conversation has inevitably circled back to the Argentine captain. Former England stars believe the Three Lions have every reason to fancy their chances, but they also know that against Messi, dominance can disappear in the blink of an eye.

Despite scoring an astonishing 125 goals in 205 international appearances, the 39-year-old has surprisingly never faced England at senior international level. He arrives at the semi-final as the tournament's leading scorer with eight goals, although his remarkable run of finding the net in nine straight matches ended against Switzerland in the quarter-finals. Even without scoring, Messi still pulled the strings, providing two assists to guide Argentina through.

For England legend Wayne Rooney, the key is limiting the moments that make him extraordinary.

While Rooney acknowledged Messi's unmatched ability to unlock defences with a single touch or pass, he pointed out that Argentina's captain offers little defensive cover, something England could exploit if they control possession.

"He can be a weakness defensively for Argentina," Rooney told BBC Sport. "He doesn't run back, but he has big moments. The thing with Messi is his decision-making. He comes to life in moments of the game and makes the right decision. Marking Lionel Messi is about concentration and communication."

England head into the clash riding a wave of confidence after Jude Bellingham's match-winning brace against Norway booked their first World Cup semi-final since 2018. Argentina, meanwhile, needed a dramatic extra-time rescue act, with Julian Alvarez's 112th-minute strike sparking a comeback before Lautaro Martinez sealed a 3-1 win over Switzerland.

Yet former England defender Micah Richards believes form may count for little when Messi is involved.

While England possess the legs and intensity to trouble Argentina, Richards argued that Messi's genius transcends tactics. His movement, timing and ability to drift into dangerous pockets make him one of football's most impossible players to contain.

"England can outrun Argentina but they just have that little genius Messi," Richards said on BBC. "They all play for him."

He added that Messi's intelligence without the ball is what makes him so dangerous.

"Marking him is impossible because he doesn't run back. He goes into little spaces where he shouldn't really be. He switches on at the right times. His spatial awareness is fantastic. Most importantly, he's got personality and aura. Messi has the most aura out of any footballer. Messi's aura is just next level."