Lionel Messi Examines Jordan Pickford’s Penalty Notes After Argentina’s World Cup Semi-Final Win

Following Argentina’s thrilling comeback win against England in the World Cup semi-final, Lionel Messi was seen closely inspecting a water bottle belonging to England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. This bottle contained notes related to penalty shoot-out strategies that Pickford had prepared in case the match went to penalties.

As the final whistle blew, one of Argentina’s staff retrieved the bottle from the pitch and handed it to Messi. The captain studied the handwritten details attached to the bottle before passing it around his teammates. Among those laughing while reading the notes was Enzo Fernandez, who noticed his own name alongside instructions about his penalty habits.

Pickford’s Detailed Shoot-Out Prep Goes Unused

Pickford had clearly put effort into gathering information on Argentina’s likely penalty takers, but since England lost in regular time, the shoot-out never took place. The video footage quickly spread on social media, showing Argentine players amused by the goalkeeper’s meticulous preparations.

Known for his thorough research, Pickford has often relied on such notes during penalty shoot-outs in his international career, helping England secure victories in past matches. Yet, this time, after Fernandez equalized near the end and Lautaro Martinez scored a stoppage-time winner, Pickford’s detailed strategy remained unused.

Argentina Looks Ahead to Final While England Prepares for Third Place Match

Now, Argentina focuses on the upcoming World Cup final against Spain, aiming to claim their second consecutive title under coach Lionel Scaloni. England must regroup after losing control late in the semi-final and will face France for third place on Saturday.