Argentina's Mac Allister says England don't have the pace of Premier League sides

Mac Allister and his teammates will be the latest of many Argentina players to face England at the World Cup, including Diego Maradona, who famously scored one stunner and the controversial Hand of God goal against the Three Lions in 1986.

The midfielder said the legend is on the current team's mind, but that only Lionel Messi has the ability to replicate his magic.

"It's hard to draw inspiration from what Diego did; it's almost impossible to do the things he did on the pitch. Only Leo can do that.

"These days, a lot of things pop up on social media, videos of Diego and the '86 match. Watching and remembering them helps us. For us, Diego is a hugely important symbol for our country. Hopefully we can do something similar to what they achieved."

The midfielder also spoke about the importance of being the reigning world champions. "Having that experience is a plus, but it doesn't guarantee anything. They have players of great quality who have also played in these kinds of situations with their clubs and in big matches."

Mac Allister knows England well thanks to his experience in the Premier League, and feels the national team don't have the same intensity as the club sides:

"I play against them every weekend and it's clear that physically they're very strong. 

But in this World Cup, and I don't know if it's tiredness, they don't have the pace that characterises the Premier League. I don't know if it's because of the heat or something else.

"It's clear they're a great team, and we respect them a lot. Still, we trust in what we do, and we're not going to change that."