How Liverpool's famous triumph over Barcelona can help England stop Lionel Messi
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SportFootballLionel MessiLionel Messi will face England for the first time in his career tonight in the World Cup semi-finals, but Liverpool know how to stop himWhen Lionel Messi takes to the field tonight in Atlanta for his third World Cup semi-final, he will be facing England for the first time in his incredible 21-year international career.The legendary 39-year-old Argentine almost retired from representing his national team in 2016, before quickly reversing his decision and has since gone on to win the World Cup in 2022 and the Copa America in both 2021 and 2024, cementing his position as one of the global game's all-time greats.Messi spent 17 seasons at Barcelona, where he won 10 La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues, becoming the club's greatest-ever player in the process, but he didn't have it all his own way when he came up against Liverpool.The two sides met in the Champions League Round of 16 in 2007, with Liverpool progressing on the away goals rule after securing a famous 2-1 victory at the Nou Camp in the first leg. But their semi-final face-off in 2019 is by far the most famous after the Catalans raced into a seemingly insurmountable 3-0 first leg lead, with Messi scoring a stunning late free-kick, only to see the resurgent Reds roar back and win the second leg 4-0 in one of Anfield's most famous European evenings.And former Liverpool striker Emile Heskey believes that England can overcome Messi and the reigning world champions on Wednesday evening, to reach their first World Cup final since 1966, if they follow Liverpool's lead.When asked if Liverpool’s famous Anfield win over Barcelona is the blueprint to beat Argentina, Heskey told 10bet: "The difficult thing with that is you're not at Anfield, you're not in England, and you're not in that weather.
You do one run out there and you feel like you've done ten at Anfield! But yeah, there is a blueprint."That 4-0 victory, where Liverpool managed to stop Messi too was brilliant.
So he probably had never experienced that before, but that is definitely one blueprint."I think if England can play with that intensity; Premier League intensity, they have the ability to run over Argentina."Personally, I wouldn't man-mark Messi, he’s too elusive and he’ll find a way or a moment – he has the intelligence to know when to make his runs or find a pocket of space, but I could completely understand it if the manager did decide to put someone like Declan Rice on him and ask him to do a job."In the home dressing room at Anfield there is a fridge with two dents in the door. It is claimed that they were left there by Lional Messi after he punched the unit following Barcelona's shocking 4-0 defeat to Jurgen Klopp's Reds.England will be hoping that one of the greatest players of all time will be feeling exactly the same way come full time in Atlanta on Wednesday night.FOLLOW OUR LIVERPOOL FC FACEBOOK PAGE!