Alvarez Not Feeling the Pressure Ahead of England Clash
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There always seems to be something extra when Argentina and England face each other. And when it is a World Cup semifinal, it becomes even bigger. However, for Argentina forward Julián Álvarez, the showdown feels like any other match.
The Falklands War, Diego Maradona’s famous ‘Hand of God’ goal, or David Beckham’s red card — whenever the two teams meet, emotions are bound to run high.
Speaking to FIFA in an interview, Álvarez said he does not want to think too much about the added pressure surrounding the match.
“I don’t know if it will be pressure, but because of everything we all know, the match is going to be something special, and I don’t need to say that myself. But at the end of the day, it’s just a game.”
Álvarez added, “The most important thing is that we are only one step away from reaching another World Cup final. We will give our all on the field to take Argentina to the top.”
Analyzing Thomas Tuchel’s side, Álvarez said, “England look like a very strong team. They have some of the best players in the world in their squad, so it’s no surprise that they have reached the semifinals. We know the task will not be easy.”
Reflecting on Argentina’s journey to the semifinals, Álvarez said, “The group-stage matches may have looked easy on paper, but you still have to play them on the field. The other matches were very difficult for us; we had to work hard. But this team has everything — it knows how to adapt to any situation, and we fought until the end. The competition within the squad is extremely intense; we all want to give our best for this jersey. We also know that we have to give absolutely everything in every match.”
Álvarez also spoke about what it feels like to play alongside Lionel Messi.
“I grew up watching him play; he is the idol of both me and my brother. And today, having the opportunity to continue playing with him, achieving another important milestone with the Argentina national team, being by his side and helping him, feels like a dream come true.”
