Argentina cool rivalry talk ahead of England World Cup semi-final

KANSAS CITY, Missouri, July 12 : Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni insisted there is nothing more than football at stake when his team faces England in Wednesday's World Cup semi-final, despite a rivalry steeped in decades of sporting drama and political tension.

The meeting revives one of international soccer's most storied rivalries, shaped by England's victory over Argentina at the 1966 World Cup, the 1982 Falklands War and Diego Maradona's infamous "Hand of God" goal at the 1986 tournament.

The teams also met at the 1998 World Cup, when Argentina advanced on penalties in the round of 16, and in 2002, when David Beckham's goal secured a 1-0 group-stage win for England and helped send favourites Argentina home early.

After his side beat Switzerland 3-1 following extra time on Saturday to book a clash against their old rivals, Scaloni said their showdown should be viewed as nothing more than a game.

"It's a soccer match. Period. There's nothing more to it," he told reporters after Argentina kept alive their bid to win back-to-back titles, booking a clash against England in Atlanta on Wednesday after the Europeans edged Norway 2-1.

"Let's not look for anything else," Scaloni said. "It's a soccer match. We're going to play a soccer match against a great national team that has a great coach whom I appreciate and admire a lot."

The Falklands, known in Argentina as the Malvinas, remain a sensitive issue between the two countries more than four decades after the 1982 conflict, which killed 649 Argentine military personnel along with 255 British personnel and three Falkland Islanders.

Britain claims sovereignty over the Falklands and maintains a military presence there, while Argentina continues to press its claim through diplomatic