Georgia, July 13 -- England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford said his side is well aware of Lionel Messi's quality but stressed that the team's focus must extend beyond the Argentina captain ahead of their FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal clash.

Speaking to reporters before the second semifinal against the defending champions, Pickford acknowledged Messi's remarkable career while highlighting Argentina's overall strength.

"I think he's (Messi) scored so many goals and contributed to so many goals as well over his career. And it's great to finally come up against him after watching him as a kid," Pickford said in a video shared by Sky Sports on X.

"We all know how good Messi is, but we also know how good Argentina is, so we can't just solely rel...