In the upcoming match against Argentina, Pickford urged his teammates not to underestimate their abilities.

England's "Three Lions" will face defending champions Argentina in the 2026 World Cup semi-final. Pickford stated that while Argentina is a very strong team, he also urged his teammates not to underestimate their own strength.

In the quarterfinals, England, after falling behind, relied on two goals from Bellingham to defeat Norway 2-1 and advance to the semifinals.

For Argentina, Scaloni's team defeated Switzerland 3-1 in the quarterfinals thanks to goals from McAllister, Alvarez and Lautaro, successfully continuing their journey in the tournament.

Speaking about facing superstar Lionel Messi on the field, England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford said, "Messi has scored countless goals and created countless scoring opportunities throughout his career. It's a really special feeling to finally have the opportunity to play against him on the international stage, having watched him play since I was a child."

"But we cannot ignore the strength we possess. Whether it's offense, defense, or cohesion, we have everything we need, and that's exactly what we hope to show in the game. Of course, we can't just talk about Messi. Argentina is a very good team, and they are the defending World Cup champions."

Pickford said, "Argentina is a very strong team overall, but our squad also has a very high attacking ability, and we are very difficult to break down defensively. We have resilience, unity and a strong belief. I think these are the qualities that a great team must have. All we need to do is focus on our own performance and be at our best to beat another world-class team."

"This is a match between us and them, and the winner will qualify for the final. Whether the match goes to 90 minutes, 120 minutes, or eventually a penalty shootout, we are ready. We are prepared for anything, and in the end, it's just a matter of which team will have the last laugh."

In addition, Pickford said, "We keep achieving the goals we set for ourselves and keep reaching the places we hope to reach, and we want to keep moving forward. We certainly know what the ultimate goal is, but we always insist on taking it one step at a time."

“Every match in the World Cup is a challenge, and the next challenge is Argentina. It all feels very special. We have a spirit of unity and a belief in moving forward. Next, we will have another important match against a world-class team.”

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