Can England Barge The Argies Out Of The World Cup?

England take on Argentina today at 8pm BST in a game that is a repeat of the 1966 WC quarter-final that England won 1-0 before going on to win the WC and lift the old Jules Rimet trophy - a trophy given to Brazil after they became three time champions.

Spain tip tapas possession takes them into the final

In the first semi-final last night Spain cruised past favourites France with a stunning and fully deserved 2-0 win.

For all that France have looked the part in their previous games - they simply did not know what to do without the ball. Spain dominated possession - something France have excelled at - and without the ball France were a tactical mess.

Mbappe huffed and puffed as best he could but the body language and expressions on his teammate's faces were those of players who were baffled and beaten.

We need to sink the Argies first but if we face Spain in the final Tuchel will need all of his tactical know how to combat the tapas lads and stop them from flamencoing their way to being crowned World Championes.

Will there be more controversy?

It all started with Argentina captain Rattin famously refusing to leave the pitch after being sent off in the 66 quarter-final - he claimed he couldn't understand 'OFF' from the ref.

That nonsense actually led to yellow and red cards being introduced so that whether you were from Torquay or Timbuktu you couldn't claim ignorance of the ref's lingo.

Next up was the Falklands War. A proper fight and battle after the Argies invaded the Island only to be kicked out after Thatcher sent the troops in.

Her instruction to sink the battleship Belgrano with the loss of many lives even though it was outside of Falklands territorial waters inflamed the Argentinians and that and the war led to the boiling atmosphere that surrounded the 1986 WC game against England.

That quarter-final game was settled with two goals from Maradona, the first the infamous 'Hand Of God' where everyone in the stadium and on TV - except the on-field officials - knew he'd palmed the ball past Peter Shilton.

His second is what I consider to be the greatest goal I've ever seen - better even than the Carlos Alberto goal at the end of a play where eight Brazilians touched the ball. That's my no.2.

Maradona started his goal run with a turn that left a couple of England players for dead and - it's a cliche - but the ball seemed literally tied to his boot as we weaved and swerved past defender after defender before dummying the last one and sweeping it past Shilton.

For all that we hated him for his blatant cheating for the first goal it was impossible not to acknowledge that we had just witnessed pure magic from a truly great player.

Next up was the 1998 QF where Beckham stuck a leg out lying on the ground after being fouled resulting in an Argentinian rolling around and Beckham getting sent off.

After valiantly holding Argentina to a 2-2 draw at the end of extra time, David Batty missed the deciding penalty that sent our lads out and going back home.

So... will there be more controversy to add to the antics of Rattin, Maradona and the red card for Beckham?

The Argies have already stoked the flames by singing about 'the Malvinas' after their last victory and their President has again claimed that we are invaders and that the Falkland Islands should be handed back. Not a chance El Prez.

It will be the first time Messi has played against England and at 39 years old he has scored an outstanding 8 goals at this WC. Unbelievably, he has also missed 2 penalties.

What odds that the next controversy is that he misses a third one against us and then gets sent off? As Del Boy would say... Perfik. As long as we still win.

On sending offs, lets hope it's not an England player and especially the easy to wind up Bellingham who no doubt will be a target for the Argentinian's.

The passion and blood and thunder that will surely be part of this match needs to be controlled. I've no doubt that the Argies will rolling around as if they've been shot every time they feel a slight draught from an England player.

Hopefully, they'll end up being blown away and England will march on to the final.

It's going to be another wild night in the pubs across the country.

And, they don't get much wilder than lions... and with three on the chests of our lads the pride of England are primed to roar and claw their way to the final and the chance to become as immortal as the boys of 66 are.

Go Kane Argentina.

COME ON ENGLAND!!

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