Jordan Pickford had a penalty reference guide attached to his water bottle in case the World Cup semi-final against Argentina went to a shootout, and Lionel Messi’s response to it was captured on camera.
Argentina ended England’s hopes of reaching the World Cup final on Wednesday evening in Atlanta after mounting another remarkable comeback.
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Anthony Gordon sparked wild celebrations by putting the Three Lions ahead early in the second half. From that point, England focused on defending their advantage but ultimately paid the price.
Thomas Tuchel came under heavy criticism from both pundits and supporters for his tactical changes against Argentina. He first replaced goalscorer Gordon with Ezri Konsa, switching to a back five, before later bringing on Nico O’Reilly and Dan Burn in a bid to preserve England’s narrow 1-0 lead.
England held firm until the 85th minute, when Enzo Fernandez produced a stunning long-range effort to level the score. Deep into stoppage time, Lautaro Martinez headed home the winner in the 92nd minute, sending the reigning world champions into the final against Spain.
Messi dan para pemain Argentina penasaran melihat botol minum Jordan Pickford (Kiper Inggris) yang ternyata dipenuhi catatan arah tendangan penalti lawan. 😭 pic.twitter.com/UBdIWkD2Nu
— Badidoyo (@badidoyo) July 16, 2026
Following the painful semi-final exit, Tuchel has faced widespread criticism, with many blaming his substitutions for England’s collapse.
Despite the backlash, reports suggest the German coach still has the full support of the FA to remain in charge.
After the final whistle, Pickford accidentally left his water bottle on the pitch. It contained the names of every Argentina player along with notes on how he should respond if each stepped up in a penalty shootout.
The advice for Thiago Almada stood out, as it simply read “feel on the day”**, while the note for Lionel Messi was far more specific: “fake left, dive right”.
Messi was among several Argentina players who examined the bottle after the match, and footage of his amused reaction to Pickford’s notes quickly went viral.
The 39-year-old inspired Argentina’s dramatic turnaround, setting up Fernandez for his thunderous strike from outside the area before delivering a perfectly weighted cross with his weaker right foot for Martinez to head home the winner.
Although England were left devastated after missing out on their first World Cup final appearance in six decades, La Albiceleste now have the chance to retain the trophy and become the first nation since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back World Cups.
Lionel Scaloni’s side will head into Sunday’s showdown with Spain full of belief, and Messi offered a fitting assessment of the semi-final afterwards.
“I think we showed again [today] what we’ve been doing for years. This team plays free-flowing, high-quality football,” he said.
“We’re patient and we know how to read the key moments in a game. I think we dictated the game from the start. Although we didn’t create any clear chances before half-time, we were in control and saw a lot of the ball. And after they scored, we were even better.”
Turning his attention to the final, the former Barcelona captain added: “They’re a tremendous team, with outstanding players. They play excellent football.
“I know the Spanish side well and they have a style of play they’ve developed over many years. I know the players too. I’ve played against many of them and I follow them closely. Several of the squad play for Barca, a club that means a great deal to me and that I still keep up with. It will be a special World Cup final and obviously, I expect it to be very closely matched.”
