England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has confirmed that his team will not focus solely on Argentina star Lionel Messi during their match on Wednesday evening in the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Pickford said of the Argentina captain: "He has scored and created many goals throughout his career. It's great to finally face him."
He added: "We all know how brilliant Messi is, but we also know how strong the Argentine national team is, so we cannot focus on Messi alone, but we must pay attention to the rest of the team, and know the strengths and weaknesses that can be exploited."
The Everton goalkeeper pointed out that the Argentine national team includes a group of players with outstanding individual abilities, stressing that respecting the opponent does not mean fearing him, but rather preparing well for all scenarios.
Jordan Pickford confirmed that his team was prepared to face all of the defending champions' strengths: "They have outstanding players and they are a strong team, so we have to be wary of everyone."
The English goalkeeper confirmed that his national team is ready for any eventuality in the match, whether it ends in regular time or extends to extra time or penalty kicks.
Jordan Pickford, 32, added: "It's a game to reach the final, whether it lasts 90 minutes, 120 minutes, or is decided by penalties, we are ready for anything."
It is worth noting that veteran star Lionel Messi (39 years old) is having an exceptional tournament and is currently the joint top scorer in the World Cup with 8 goals, along with French striker Kylian Mbappe.
