Paul Scholes has forecast pure 'chaos' in England's World Cup semi-final against Argentina, predicting a stunning seven-goal thriller. The former Manchester United midfielder believes the match on Wednesday night will be a 4-3 victory for England, but warns that the Three Lions may struggle to overcome tournament favourites France in the final.
England's World Cup campaign so far
England have had a mixed tournament under Thomas Tuchel. They impressed in their opening win against Croatia but delivered underwhelming performances against Ghana and Panama. The Three Lions were forced to come from behind to beat DR Congo in the round of 16 before producing a heroic display to defeat co-hosts Mexico at the iconic Azteca stadium. In the quarter-finals, little separated England and Norway in a cagey match, but Jude Bellingham emerged as the hero with a brace to send the 1966 winners into the semi-finals.
Argentina's path to the semi-finals
Argentina, the reigning champions, were one of the standout teams in the group stage, topping Group J with a perfect record. However, the holders have survived several scares in the knockout rounds. They were taken to extra time by minnows Cape Verde before coming back from 2-0 down to beat Egypt. In the quarter-finals, Argentina beat Switzerland 3-1, but that scoreline only tells half the story, as the Swiss seemed on top until they were reduced to ten men in the second half.
Scholes' analysis and prediction
Scholes, speaking on The Good, The Bat & The Football podcast, said: 'I think the path for England and Argentina have been very similar. I don't think either team has played that well but they've got through games.' He noted that Argentina's experience in winning big games gives them an advantage, but he prefers England's squad, even considering Lionel Messi's presence.
'This will be lively, this will be chaos. This could be 4-3 either way, there will be yellow and red cards. If Argentina lose they'll all kick off, that's absolutely guaranteed. And if you lose to them it's horrible,' Scholes added. He believes the semi-final is a '50-50' game but has backed England to edge Argentina 4-3. However, he doubts England can beat France in the final, saying, 'I think we need Spain to beat France.'
Impact and implications
Scholes' prediction underscores the unpredictability of the match. England have yet to prove they can win big tournament games, while Argentina have the experience of doing so. The match promises to be a high-stakes encounter with potential for cards and drama. If England advance, they would face either France or Spain in Sunday's final, a daunting prospect given France's form.
