Lautaro Martinez, Inter's captain and a two-time scorer in this World Cup, is officially on the bench for Lionel Messi’s Argentina squad facing England in the semi-final. Talk about a curveball right before kick-off in Atlanta at 20.00 UK time! This isn't just a regular game, this is the semi-final for the biggest prize in soccer, and Argentina's defending their 2022 title. What a call from Lionel Scaloni to bench a key striker when so much is on the line.
Argentina's Risky Roster Shake-Up And Rocky Road
Martinez isn't the only surprise on the sidelines. Juventus winger Nico Gonzalez, who’s been on loan with Atletico Madrid scoring five goals in 37 games this season, is also benched alongside Como’s Nico Paz. We all thought Gonzalez was finally gonna get his first start for Juventus on the right over Rodrigo De Paul, but nope. Instead, it’s Giuliano Simeone, younger brother of Torino forward Giovanni Simeone, who gets the nod. Giuliano was born in Rome because his dad, Diego, played for Lazio back in the day, which is a cool bit of trivia, but still, a shocker for the starting XI. Nahuel Molina, another former Udinese player, is starting at right-back, and ex-Roma midfielder Leandro Paredes has shaken off a knock. Argentina has been through the wringer to get here, needing extra time against Cape Verde, a wild last-gasp 3-2 comeback against Egypt after being down 2-0 (and yeah, there was some controversy there), and then another extra-time battle to beat 10-man Switzerland. Julian Alvarez is getting the start over Martinez, and you gotta wonder if this is a genius move or a massive gamble.England's Toughest Test Yet With Key Injuries
On England's side, they had their toughest test so far just to make it to this semi-final, squeezing past Erling Haaland’s Norway in extra time during the quarter-final. That match was pure drama, with Jude Bellingham scoring a brace to push them through. It’s wild to think that all but one of England’s goals in this entire competition have come from either Bellingham or Harry Kane. Talk about relying on your stars! They're dealing with some roster issues too. Jordan Henderson is out after breaking his arm jumping over an advertising board, which sounds like something straight out of a movie, and Jarrell Quansah is still serving a two-match ban. Declan Rice, thankfully for England, has recovered, so that's a bit of good news for them. Maurizio Mariani is the fourth official on the touchline, keeping an eye on Thomas Tuchel and Lionel Scaloni, so at least there’s some Italian representation in this monumental clash. This is it, folks. The winner of this absolute slugfest goes on to face Spain in the Final on Sunday evening. The loser? They’ll battle France for the bronze medal on Saturday. Every touch, every pass, every save is going to count tonight. You do not want to miss this one.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.