Football Daily is your essential briefing on the stories that matter in the world of football, delivered every weekday morning. Today: England prepare for their biggest match in sixty years, Argentina stand in their way, and the rest of the football world watches.
The World Cup semi-final between England and Argentina has dominated the agenda in a way that no match since the 1966 final has managed. The historical dimension — the Falklands, the Hand of God, Beckham's red card — has been exhaustively analysed, but the football itself deserves attention. England have been the best team in the tournament by several measures: most goals scored, fewest conceded, highest expected goal difference. Argentina have been less dominant but have the tournament's best player in Lionel Messi and the intangible quality of a team that knows how to win knockout matches.
Elsewhere, the transfer window continues to generate headlines. Bayern Munich have confirmed that their pursuit of a Premier League midfielder has reached an advanced stage. Barcelona are attempting to restructure their wage bill to accommodate a new signing. And in the Championship, three clubs have changed managers in the past week, a reminder that the football calendar never really stops.
In the women's game, the European Championship in Switzerland enters its knockout phase, with England facing Sweden in a quarter-final that promises to be one of the matches of the tournament. The Lionesses have been in formidable form, and expectations are high.
Football Daily will return tomorrow with reaction to the semi-final and a look ahead to the weekend's action. Until then, enjoy the football.
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