Argentina have already turned up the spite ahead of their clash with England by singing an anti-English chant after their win over Switzerland.
The duo will face each other in the semi-finals of the World Cup on Wednesday evening after England beat Norway 2-1 and Argentina saw off Switzerland 3-1, both after extra-time.
This has already been seen as something of a grudge match and La Albiceleste taunted England with a song about the Falkland Islands in their dressing room after their comeback against Egypt.
And overnight, Lionel Messi and co. joined in with supporters as they let rip with another anti-English chant which has been around for decades.
‘And you see it, and you see it, anyone who doesn’t jump is an Englishman,’ sang the players and fans as they jumped up and down after beating Switzerland in Kansas City.
The pair have a fierce rivalry but it has long been on ice. England and Argentina last played each other in 2005, and you have to go back to the 2002 World Cup, when the Three Lions won 1-0 in the group stages, for the most recent competitive fixture.
Argentina and their fans sang an anti-England song after their 3-1 win over Switzerland
They bounced around and chanted: ‘Anyone who doesn’t jump is an Englishman’
Messi has racked up 205 caps but has never played against England. Quite how his game will translate against England’s current crop will be fascinating to see.
‘England can outrun Argentina but they just have that little genius Messi. They all play for him. Everyone should be excited,’ Micah Richards told the BBC.
‘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 [and] he’s got the best technique. His spatial awareness is fantastic. He’s got a great shot.
‘Most importantly, he’s got what Jude’s [Bellingham] got and that’s what makes Jude so great – he’s got personality and aura.
‘Messi has the most aura out of any footballer. Messi’s aura is just next level, so it’s going to be interesting.’
Argentina needed players besides Messi to step up against Switzerland and they progressed thanks to goals from Alexis Mac Allister, Julian Alvarez, and Lautaro Martinez.
They have become accustomed to late, late shows – it took extra-time against Cape Verde and Switzerland, while they scored three goals in the dying minutes against Egypt to progress from the last 16.
After that game, the squad celebrated in the dressing room, with their players singing the song Muchachos, which has become popular among their supporters.
School teacher Fernando Romero reworked the lyrics to Muchachos, Esta Noche Me Emborracho – Boys, Tonight I’ll Get Drunk – a 2003 hit by Argentine ska band La Mosca.
A version was sung throughout Argentina’s path to World Cup glory at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and has been updated for the 2026 tournament.
The original opened with the lyrics ‘I was born in Argentina, land of Diego and Lionel, and of the Malvinas lads whom I’ll never forget’.
Argentina players celebrated their win over Egypt by singing a popular fan chant which references the Falkland Islands
Another chant from Argentina fans claimed England are ‘scared’ of their national team and that they would make them run before knocking them out in the World Cup semi-finals
The Malvinas is Argentina’s term for the Falkland Islands, where 649 of their military personnel died in 1982 after attempting to reclaim the territory from the United Kingdom.
The updated version now has the lyrics ‘I am Argentine from cradle to grave, for the Malvinas, for Diego, for Leo’s final chapter’, referencing legends Diego Maradona and Messi.
‘I am a supporter of the national team, I cheer it on with all my heart,’ Argentina’s players chanted in Spanish.
‘We won the third title with Lionel, and we want to be champions once again.
‘And 32 years later, La Scaloneta will avenge the trophy that was taken from the No. 10, the one we were not allowed to lift.
‘I want to see the fourth star shining on the jersey.
‘I am Argentine from cradle to grave, for the Malvinas, for Diego, for Leo’s final chapter.
‘Argentina, I want to see you become back-to-back champions.’
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