Keep barking: a Spanish journalist and an English idol belittled the Argentine National Team

The buildup to the semifinal between Argentina and England continues to heat up with statements from Europe. In recent hours, those who joined the debate were the renowned Spanish journalist and influencer Julio Maldonado, better known on social media as "Mundo Maldini", and former English captain John Terry, who analyzed the matchup and agreed on one point: they consider Thomas Tuchel's team to be the favorite to advance to the grand final of the 2026 World Cup.

Mundo Maldini: "I see England as superior and I consider them the favorites"

During an interview with Fox Sports, Maldonado, who had previously stated that there would be no South Americans among the top four in the tournament, assured that England will impose the conditions of the match and that the Albiceleste will have to endure long stretches without the ball. "I believe that England will dominate the game. They will try to get Jude Bellingham between the lines and, with the positional changes of Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson, try to cause damage. Open the game with the wingers and dominate the Argentine defense", he analyzed.

The Spanish journalist even compared the match he envisions to Argentina's hard-fought victory over Switzerland in the quarterfinals. "I expect a match dominated by England and an Argentina like we saw against Switzerland, holding on as best they can and waiting for Leo Messi to show up at some point", he stated.

Nevertheless, he acknowledged one of the main strengths of the team led by Lionel Scaloni. "Argentina may be inferior to the opponent for many moments, but they have a capacity to overcome problems that is evident. They are a very competitive team", he highlighted.

Despite that praise, he did not hesitate when giving his prediction: "I see England as superior and I consider them the favorites for the match. Messi can rub the lamp, but England has more arguments".

John Terry: "Argentina does not worry me"

Also showing great confidence was John Terry. The historic former Chelsea defender and English national team player spoke on the official FIFA podcast and stated that England has a superior squad to the current world champion. "If I'm honest, Argentina does not worry me. I don't look at Argentina and think they are better than us. I believe that, player for player, we are better than Argentina", he maintained.

However, Terry acknowledged that the experience of the Albiceleste in these types of instances can make a difference. "The experience they have in these decisive moments of competitions can play very much in their favor", he admitted.

The former defender reiterated that individual quality favors Thomas Tuchel's side. "I don't think Argentina is stronger than England. If we analyze each position, I believe England has a slightly superior squad", he pointed out.

Finally, he highlighted the mental strength that England has shown throughout the tournament and fueled the hope of winning a world title that the country has not achieved since 1966. "What I like most about the team right now is that they always know how to overcome difficult moments. We have a very good team and I feel that everything is in England's favor. Maybe this is our moment", he concluded.