The defending champions booked their place in the last four after a hard-fought 3-1 extra-time victory over Switzerland in the quarterfinals. Argentina struggled for long periods before eventually finding a way through, with a red card for the Swiss proving to be a key turning point in the contest.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The victory set up a semifinal showdown with England on Thursday at Atlanta Stadium, adding another chapter to one of the World Cup\u2019s most storied rivalries. However, Scaloni sought to lower the temperature ahead of the high-profile clash.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"It\u2019s just a football match; let\u2019s not make it something else. We're playing a great team, led by a great coach who I appreciate and admire a lot. It\u2019s just a football match, nothing else,\" he said after the match, as quoted by Buenos Aires Herald.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Argentina and England have been involved in several tense and iconic World Cup encounters over the years. England won their controversial 1966 quarterfinal 1-0, a match remembered for the sending-off of Argentina captain Antonio Rattin.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Their 1986 quarterfinal became one of the most famous matches in football history, with Diego Maradona scoring both the controversial \u201cHand of God\u201d goal and the celebrated \u201cGoal of the Century\u201d in Argentina\u2019s 2-1 victory.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The two sides met again in the round of 16 in 1998, when Argentina advanced on penalties following a 2-2 draw in a match that saw England\u2019s David Beckham sent off. England then secured a 1-0 victory in the 2002 group stage with a Beckham penalty.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Despite Argentina\u2019s below-par performance against Switzerland, Scaloni stressed the significance of reaching another World Cup semifinal and described the last four as \u201ca privileged place to be in football.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The two sides met again in the round of 16 in 1998, when Argentina advanced on penalties following a 2-2 draw in a match that saw England\u2019s David Beckham sent off. England then secured a 1-0 victory in the 2002 group stage with a Beckham penalty.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"Maybe we take it for granted, but it\u2019s not that easy. We have to be happy and excited, and we\u2019ll go all in with whatever we have left, down to the last drop of sweat. We\u2019re going to go for it all,\" Scaloni concluded.<\/p>\r\n\r\n