Pablo Zabaleta takes notes at every match he watches. He spots trends, talks them through and reflects on them. He spots patterns in teams’ play, studies them and distils the key information.
And he has been analysing the FIFA World Cup 2026 intently. As a member of the FIFA Technical Study Group, Zabaleta has been travelling across North America to help interpret the action, identify new tactical situations and offer his own perspective.
His insight into Wednesday’s England-Argentina semi-final is particularly valuable, as few can claim such in-depth knowledge of football in both countries. Zabaleta, 41, captained Argentina to victory at the FIFA World Youth Championship in 2005, a tournament which saw Lionel Messi taking his first steps with the Albiceleste.
The former right-back also represented Argentina at Brazil 2014 and at the 2015 and 2016 editions of the CONMEBOL Copa America. At club level, Zabaleta spent more than 10 years in the Premier League, playing for Manchester City from 2008 to 2017 and West Ham United from 2017 to 2020.
Argentina and England will face off in Atlanta with a place in the final at stake. The two sides have a rich World Cup history, with memorable moments including Antonio Rattin’s sending-off in 1966, Diego Maradona’s performance in 1986 and David Beckham’s penalty in 2002.
And few players have a better understanding of the two teams than Zabaleta, who looked ahead to the mouthwatering semi-final for FIFA.
