Guillem Balague examines how the Argentina squad is built around Lionel Messi as they prepare to play against England in the World Cup semi-finals.

There was a moment, after Argentina came back from 2-0 down to reach the World Cup quarter-finals, when Lionel Messi simply could not stop crying. There was a touch of celebration but also something more raw than that. He had already cried once this tournament, after he heard of a complication with his father's health following the opening match. This time, his tears came from relief. Not from escaping defeat against Egypt, but relief he hadn't let his team-mates down after missing a penalty that, for a while, threatened to end Argentina's tournament. For Messi right now, the emotions arrive tangled together: relief, pressure, family, the crowd, team-mates who love him and want - more than anything - to see him win again. This may be his last World Cup. Then again, who knows. But somewhere in the middle of all that rollercoaster there is also enormous happiness for a man who has finally found the perfect context, a football team built to his measure. All for one and one for all. Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni put it best before the Switzerland quarter-final. "The best moments of all, by far, are celebrations of the group. I coach for this, not because I like a 4-3-3," he said. "I like drinking mate [a South American tea] with my friends and players, sharing a barbecue, playing truco [a card game], as we have always done."