The England national team will take on Argentina on Wednesday in the World Cup semifinal as the nation attempts to reach its first final since 1966.
England has had to survive a trio of tough knockout World Cup scares — first against DR Congo, then against Mexico at the Stadio Azteca, and most recently against Norway in the Miami heat — to set up Tuesday’s contest
Ex-USMNT goalkeeper Brad Friedel logged over 450 appearances in the Premier League and stirred up a bit of a fuss when he called Mexico an “average side.” El Tri proved to be more formidable than expected — admittedly against the 10 men of England in the second half — in a 3-2 defeat.
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Speaking exclusively with Mirror U.S. Sports on behalf of Sportsline sportsbook promos, Friedel analyzed Argentina, the reigning World Cup champions, who, like England, have also scraped into the semifinals.
Argentina required extra time to beat Cape Verde (3-2) in the Round of 32 and Switzerland (2-1) in the quarterfinals, with results sandwiched around a dramatic comeback against Egypt, where Lionel Messi and company overturned a 2-0 deficit in the 79th minute.
England survived a scare from Norway to advance to the World Cup semifinals
Friedel was harsh but fair when describing the 2026 Argentine team, calling it coach Lionel Scaloni’s La Albiceleste side “not the same as 2022” while adding that England “can qualify for the final.”
“I saw Argentina versus Switzerland, and they looked leggy in midfield. They do defend hard, but concede chances. They have struggled against Cape Verde, Egypt, and Switzerland, who do not have the same quality that England does,” Friedel shared.
Brad Friedel made three USA World Cup teams
“This Argentina side is not the same as 2022, and we know the history between England and Argentina, the game will be fiery, and England has the quality to win. In the attacking third, Messi still has the quality, but he isn’t on the ball as much as he was in 2022.”
Messi has eight goals — highlighted by a group stage hat-trick vs Algeria — in the 2026 tournament, one more than he had in the victorious 2022 World Cup.
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“As the game develops, Argentina seems to lose the 50/50 battles, and they do concede chances,” Freidel continued. “And I do believe that if [Breel] Embolo hadn’t been sent off, Switzerland would have had the upper hand,”
Swiss forward Embolo received a second yellow card for a simulation against Argentine midfielder Leandro Praedes in the 72nd minute, just five minutes after Switzerland equalized at 1-1 and seemed to be changing the game’s momentum.
“So I think England can go through here for sure,” Friedel concluded. “Argentina has the quality, you have Messi who is still such a brilliant player, they are a step up from Norway, Mexico, and Congo, but from what I’ve seen from Argentina, England can qualify.”
