Atlanta, 15 July (H.S.):

England defender Marc Guehi believes the pressure is firmly on reigning world champions Argentina ahead of their FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal, saying England will enter the contest with nothing to lose. Meanwhile, fellow defender Ezri Konsa has urged his teammates to ignore the historical rivalry between the two nations and focus solely on the match.

England arrived in Atlanta on Tuesday ahead of Wednesday's semifinal against Argentina at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The winner will advance to face Spain in the FIFA World Cup final.

Speaking at a press conference, Guehi said, There is no pressure on us. What pressure could there be? The pressure is on Argentina. They are the reigning world champions and have to defend their title. We are playing without any pressure at all.

He added, Everyone is excited about this match. It is a huge occasion against a world-class team with outstanding players. We are ready to embrace the challenge and give our best performance.

The buildup to the match has once again highlighted the long-standing rivalry between England and Argentina. Diego Maradona's controversial Hand of God goal in the 1986 FIFA World Cup and David Beckham's red card in the 1998 edition remain among football's most talked-about moments. Political tensions stemming from the 1982 Falklands War have also contributed to the rivalry.

However, Konsa insisted that the players must leave history behind.

We just need to focus on our football. We have to forget the history when we step onto the pitch. There is no need to get carried away by emotions. We simply have to do what we do best, he said.

Konsa also defended the squad following criticism from head coach Thomas Tuchel over England's performance against Norway.

Our team is united. There are no issues within the squad. Mental strength is the most important factor in a tournament like this. There will always be outside noise, but we know how to ignore it. We have been playing at this level for a long time and understand how to deal with such situations, he said.

Both defenders are expected to feature in the starting lineup on Wednesday, where they will face the daunting task of containing Lionel Messi. The Argentine captain has scored eight goals in the tournament so far and is currently joint-top of the Golden Boot standings alongside Kylian Mbappé.

Guehi acknowledged Messi's threat but stressed that Argentina's strength extends far beyond one player.

Messi is a great player, probably one of the greatest in the world. We will do everything we can to stop him. But Argentina are not just Messi's team. They have several other outstanding players as well. That is why we must concentrate on our own game and execute our strategy effectively, he said.

If England defeat Argentina, they will reach only the second FIFA World Cup final in their history, having last appeared in the 1966 final. The championship match will be played against Spain on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar