Chance to face Messi once in a lifetime - O'Reilly

England left-back Nico O'Reilly is looking forward to a 'once-in-a-lifetime opportunity' to face Lionel Messi in the World Cup semi-final against Argentina. The 21-year-old, who made his England debut last November, will likely have to defend against the 39-year-old Argentina captain, whom he considers the best player to ever touch a football pitch. England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford also commented on the upcoming match, warning that while Messi is a major threat, the team cannot focus solely on him and must also account for Argentina's other strengths. Messi has been in exceptional form during the tournament, becoming the all-time leading goalscorer in World Cup history with a total of 21 career goals. He currently leads the Golden Boot race with eight goals, tied with France's Kylian Mbappe. The winner of this semi-final will face either France or Spain in the World Cup final on July 19.