Updated

Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jul 15

Argentina Eyes 2nd Straight World Cup Final as Scaloni Dismisses Fatigue Before England Clash

Updated

Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jul 15

Argentina Eyes 2nd Straight World Cup Final as Scaloni Dismisses Fatigue Before England Clash

Q: With new on-site VAR, can this historic rivalry finally escape the shadow of refereeing controversy?

Probably not entirely. FIFA’s move to place VAR officials inside the stadium for the semifinals should reduce technical and communication risks, and it is a direct response to the backlash that followed disputed calls earlier in the knockout rounds, including decisions in Argentina’s wins over Egypt and Switzerland. That may improve confidence in the process. But the change is operational, not philosophical. The core VAR rules have not changed: factual calls such as offside can still produce controversy because they are decided on fine margins, while penalties, fouls and handballs remain subjective and depend on the referee’s interpretation. VAR still intervenes only for “clear and obvious” errors, so many 50-50 decisions will stand and still be argued over. That matters especially in an England-Argentina match, where history has made officiating part of the story. The rivalry still lives in the shadow of Maradona’s “Hand of God,” the 1966 Antonio Rattin dismissal and the 1998 David Beckham red card. Even with better technology, any major call on Messi, Harry Kane or Jude Bellingham is likely to be examined through that historical lens. So on-site VAR can help make the system more reliable and may reduce accusations tied to process or delay. It is much less likely to remove controversy altogether. In a fixture this charged, technology can narrow the room for error, but it cannot eliminate subjectivity, suspicion or the emotional force of the rivalry.

3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jul 15

Atlanta hosts Wednesday’s semifinal with Argentina chasing a second straight World Cup final, and Lionel Scaloni said fatigue is not a concern despite a draining knockout run.
Three straight knockout wins tested the holders: Cape Verde and Egypt both pushed Argentina to 3-2 results, and Switzerland took them to extra time before a 3-1 defeat.
39-year-old Lionel Messi leads an ageing side, while Scaloni said he may tweak the lineup as Argentina try to contain Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane.
Bellingham and Kane have scored 12 of England’s 13 tournament goals, making them the central threat in a rivalry remembered for Maradona’s 1986 'Hand of God' match.
Scaloni sought to strip politics from the occasion, saying the semifinal should not be conflated with the Falklands dispute despite the history surrounding Argentina-England meetings.