Former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel has cast doubt on England’s chances of reaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, insisting Lionel Messi and Argentina possess the quality needed to end the Three Lions’ campaign in the semi-finals.
The former Chelsea midfielder, who faced Messi on the biggest stage during the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cups, believes England have not shown enough throughout the tournament to overcome the reigning world champions.
Thomas Tuchel’s men secured their place in the last four after battling past Norway in a dramatic extra-time victory, with Jude Bellingham inspiring England’s comeback.
However, Mikel believes Wednesday night’s clash in Atlanta presents an entirely different challenge.For the Nigerian football legend, the biggest obstacle is not Argentina as a team—it is Messi.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has once again demonstrated why he remains one of football’s greatest-ever players.
Despite turning 39 earlier this summer, Messi has continued to dominate the tournament, sitting level with France captain Kylian Mbappe among the competition’s leading scorers.
Having experienced the Argentine magician firsthand during his Chelsea and Nigeria days, Mikel admits stopping Messi remains one of football’s toughest assignments.
“I’m a Messi fan, I want Argentina to win,” the AFCON 2013 winner said on the Rest is Football podcast alongside Joe Cole, Micah Richards, Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker.
“How do you stop Messi? We’ve all tried, and we’ve all failed. One thing I have to say is that he’s just a genius. I mean, he’s a fantastic player when we used to play against Barcelona.”
Mikel then reflected on Chelsea’s famous battles against Barcelona under Jose Mourinho, revealing how the Portuguese manager repeatedly searched for tactical solutions to contain Messi—without lasting success.
“It’s just incredible. Obviously, a week before the game [Chelsea vs Barcelona], we used to talk about how we’d take him on, how we stop him. Mourinho always tried to come up with something.
“You can’t defend one-on-one against Messi, it’s impossible.
“Man to man? You can, but you don’t want to just walk around a player like that. With the way they move the ball around to find one person, if it finds him, everything else changes.
“The way he dribbles with the ball, it’s like there’s a magnet at his feet. And the vision, the things he sees, he’s one of the best passers in the world. We talk about his goals, but his passes are incredible.”
The former Chelsea midfielder also questioned suggestions that England could assign Declan Rice to shadow Messi throughout the contest.
Instead, Mikel warned that such an approach could leave dangerous spaces elsewhere, allowing Argentina’s midfield to dictate the game.
“Argentina will win. England haven’t been great, they’ve had just one good half. Lionel Messi and Argentina will find space in that midfield between Declan Rice and Anderson.
“Also, you don’t want to have Declan Rice man-marking Messi, because you’ll take so much away from him. That’ll be the space Messi will love, and if he gets the ball there, you’re dead.
“For me, that’s where the game will be decided. The bodyguards Messi has know how to fight for him. They’ve been there, done that, so I think with that in mind, Argentina have the advantage,” the one-time UEFA Europa League winner concluded.
Despite Mikel’s prediction, England head into the encounter with renewed confidence after surviving difficult knockout ties against DR Congo and Norway.
Tuchel has consistently challenged his players to raise their level, and another tactical masterclass will be required if they are to end Argentina’s reign as world champions.
The England boss also received a timely boost ahead of the blockbuster showdown after confirming that midfield anchor Declan Rice has recovered from illness and is fit enough to start.
With a place in the FIFA World Cup final at stake, the semi-final promises to deliver another memorable chapter in the historic rivalry between England and Argentina.
While Mikel believes Messi will once again prove decisive, Tuchel’s side will be determined to prove their doubters wrong and take one step closer to ending decades of World Cup heartbreak.
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