Mikel Obi Picks Messi Over All, Predicts Argentina Will End England’s Dream

The former Chelsea star believes England have shown weaknesses in central midfield during the tournament and expects Messi, alongside Julián Álvarez, to capitalize on those gaps.

Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast with Joe Cole, Micah Richards, Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker, the 2013 AFCON winner made no secret of where his loyalty lies.

“I’m a Messi fan; I want Argentina to win,” Mikel said.

Reflecting on his experiences facing Messi during his playing days, Mikel described the Argentine icon as a footballing genius whose brilliance consistently left opponents searching for answers.

“How do you stop Messi? We’ve all tried, and we’ve all failed. He’s simply a genius. Every time we played against Barcelona, it was incredible. Before those games, we always discussed how to contain him, and Mourinho was always working on a plan.”

The former midfielder admitted that despite meticulous preparation, stopping Messi remained one of football’s toughest challenges because of his exceptional dribbling, movement and creativity.

“You can’t defend Messi one-on-one; it’s impossible. His close control is unbelievable—it’s like the ball is attached to his feet. Beyond his goals, his vision and passing are extraordinary. He’s one of the best passers in the game.”

Mikel also predicted that the battle in midfield would determine the outcome of the clash, arguing that Argentina have the edge.

According to him, England have only produced one convincing half of football throughout the tournament, while Messi is capable of exploiting the space between Declan Rice and Anderson.

“Argentina will win. England haven’t been great—they’ve only had one good half. Messi will find space between Declan Rice and Anderson, and if he gets on the ball there, England will be in serious trouble.”

He added that assigning Rice to man-mark Messi would weaken England’s midfield structure and play into Argentina’s hands.

“You don’t want Declan Rice following Messi everywhere because it takes so much away from his own game. That’s exactly the area Messi loves to operate in, and once he gets the ball there, you’re in danger. For me, that’s where the match will be decided.”

Mikel concluded by praising the experienced Argentine squad, saying the players around Messi understand how to protect and support their captain, giving the reigning world champions an important advantage ahead of the blockbuster encounter.