World Cup 2026: ‘I’m A Messi Fan, I Want Argentina To Win’ –Mikel
Retold by Oddsrama · 15 July 2026
Mikel Obi isn't shy about where his allegiances lie ahead of the World Cup 2026 semi-final between Argentina and England tonight. The former Super Eagles captain and Chelsea legend has publicly backed Lionel Messi's side to get the job done, and his reasoning is rooted in solid tactical analysis rather than mere sentiment. Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast alongside Joe Cole, Micah Richards, and Gary Lineker, Obi laid out why Argentina's attacking brilliance should prove too much for England's defence.
The crux of Obi's argument centres on England's midfield vulnerabilities. He's identified a critical gap in the Three Lions' setup—the space between Declan Rice and their other midfield anchor—that Messi will inevitably hunt down and exploit. That's where the Argentine maestro thrives: receiving the ball in tight spaces and working magic with his feet and vision. Obi also flagged Julián Álvarez as a secondary threat ready to punish any defensive slip-ups. England's tournament performance so far has been patchy at best, with only one truly dominant half to show, leaving them exposed to a side with genuine world-class operators.
Obi's been there and done it—he's faced Messi and Barcelona under José Mourinho's tactical schemes at Chelsea and knows better than most how impossible it is to shut down the Inter Miami star one-on-one. You can't simply park a defender on him; the movement, the dribbling, the passing range—it's a complete package that unravels defences. Argentina's supporting cast knows how to fight for their talisman, and that experience could be decisive. For betting purposes, this is the kind of expert backing that typically reflects where the smart money sits: a Messi-led Argentina team facing an England side that hasn't quite found their groove.
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