Sir Geoff Hurst expects England’s World Cup semi-final against Argentina to be their toughest and most physical match of the tournament so far.
The 1966 World Cup winner said England face a difficult route to the final, warning against assuming Argentina’s players are past their best. He singled out Lionel Messi as a danger who is still performing and scoring.
Hurst predicted a close, tense match when the teams meet at 20:00 BST, rather than a comfortable England win. He said he would be cheering England on and stressed how much World Cup success means beyond football.
Hurst became the first player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final when England beat West Germany 4-2 in 1966. He later played for Stoke City from 1972 to 1975, scoring 30 goals in just over 100 appearances.
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