Confident "Tuchel" reveals how to handle "Messi" in the England vs Argentina World Cup 2026 semifinal.
On 15 July 2026, Thomas Tuchel, England's national team coach, gave an interview ahead of the 2026 World Cup semifinal last match against Argentina, scheduled for tonight at 02:00 on 16 July Thai time.
One key focus is how England plans to deal with Lionel Messi, the Argentine captain and star player, who at 39 has been outstanding in this tournament, scoring 8 goals to lead the top scorers alongside France's Kylian Mbappé, plus providing 2 assists and creating 21 chances.
Tuchel is confident England can manage Messi just as they previously neutralized Norway's star striker Erling Haaland in the quarterfinals, when the "Three Lions" won 2-1 after extra time.
The England coach described the Argentine superstar as "amazing in consistently performing at a high level, no matter the situation or method."
"He knows how to find space and the right moments to play. Most importantly, the whole team believes in and follows that approach. We need to be brave facing him and cut off the support that reaches him."
"He plays differently from Erling Haaland, but since we handled Haaland well before, we will find ways to deal with him too."
When asked if England should use zonal marking or assign a player to man-mark Messi, Tuchel replied, "I've thought about whether to use traditional man-marking."
"I'm not sure if we'll go with that plan, but the idea has crossed my mind. Messi always finds gaps in the midfield."
Tuchel concluded that England likely knows where Messi tends to drop to receive the ball, but understands that closing those spaces might lead Messi to find other ways to influence the game.
"If you analyze the matches, you realize he anticipates situations before anyone else on the pitch."
Related news