Argentina’s dramatic 2-1 victory over England in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final produced another memorable moment after the final whistle, as Lionel Messi and several of his teammates were seen examining England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford’s water bottle.
The bottle contained handwritten notes detailing Argentina’s potential penalty takers and their preferred shooting directions, part of Pickford’s meticulous preparation in case the match was decided by a penalty shootout.
The England goalkeeper has become well known for using such “cheat sheets” during major tournaments to improve his chances of saving penalties.
However, the notes ultimately proved unnecessary after Lautaro Martínez scored a dramatic late winner to send the reigning world champions into the World Cup final, denying England the opportunity to force penalties.
Following the final whistle, Messi and a number of Argentina players found the bottle and looked through the detailed instructions, appearing amused by the goalkeeper’s extensive preparations. Footage of the incident quickly spread across social media, with fans reacting to the light-hearted moment between the victorious Argentine players.
The discovery offered a fascinating glimpse into the level of tactical planning employed by top international teams, even though Argentina’s late heroics ensured Pickford never had the chance to put his penalty research to use.
Argentina will now turn their attention to the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, where they will face Spain as they bid to retain the trophy they won in Qatar four years ago.
Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of The Accra Daily Mail, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.
