The World Cup semifinals are locked in, and honestly, it is exactly what everyone expected! France, Spain, Argentina, and England are the last four standing, just like their FIFA rankings predicted. But hold up, because even with the greatest to ever do it, Lionel Messi, the reigning champs Argentina are looking like they have some serious cracks in their game.
Argentina's Barely There, Even With Messi
Okay, so Argentina had the "easiest" path through the knockout stages to get here, but that doesn't tell the whole story. They became the comeback kings, forcing extra time not once, but twice! And get this, in their win against Egypt, they had to score three goals AFTER the 86th minute just to avoid extra time. Talk about cutting it close, right? Messi has been carrying this team, no doubt. He's had a goal or an assist in every single game of the World Cup. But the big red flag? Their extra-time victory over Switzerland was the *first* time Messi didn't score. Julian Alvarez, Alexis Mac Allister, and Lautaro Martinez stepped up for those goals, which is crucial because, let's be real, Argentina cannot win this thing only through Messi. Rodrigo De Paul has been struggling like crazy in midfield, and opposing wingers have absolutely tortured them on defense. Think about it, facing England, with guys like Bukayo Saka and Anthony Gordon tearing it up, that's a massive, massive issue. Coach Lionel Scaloni has somehow found a way to scrape by so far, but when you look at all four teams left, Argentina just has the most glaring questions hanging over them right now.England's Surging, While Mbappe Just Keeps Dominating
Across the bracket, England was supposed to be the Harry Kane show, and yeah, he's delivered with six goals and one assist. But the real surprise has been Jude Bellingham, who's absolutely exploded in the knockout stage! He's scored braces in consecutive matches, which means he's now matched Kane with six goals himself. That's a massive, massive boost for England, giving them another huge threat. And then there's Kylian Mbappe, another Golden Boot leader, who is just absolutely on another level. Seriously, this guy is unreal! He's the *only* player to ever score eight goals in two different World Cup tournaments. If Argentina can somehow, miraculously, keep their run going, France, with Mbappe tearing it up, and the reigning champs are set on a collision course. Can you even imagine that showdown? So yeah, these semifinals are chalk, but the star power is undeniable. You've got Messi, Mbappe, Kane, Bellingham, all chasing that ultimate prize. We're looking at some seriously evenly matched games, leading to what promises to be an epic finish to the tournament. No matter what happens, it's gonna be a wild ride to see who makes it to next Sunday's final.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.