England’s biggest test in the 2026 FIFA World Cup is around the corner, and Thomas Tuchel knows who the spotlight will be on. Standing between the coach and his team and a finals appearance are the defending champions, Argentina, and their superstar, Lionel Messi. Ahead of the semi-final clash, the coach addressed the challenge of playing them.
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“We will find a way to stop Messi,” Tuchel said, according to @TouchlineX on X. “He finds spaces, takes his chances, and I think the most important thing is that the whole team embraces that idea. They believe in supporting him and helping him, and they’re always ready when he makes a move to make the difference. We’ll prepare for that, of course.”
It’s clear why the English manager is stressing ahead of the game. Messi has been the engine behind Argentina’s success, and with Kylian Mbappé and France eliminated, now Messi stands just one assist short of leading the Golden Boot race with eight goals. He is a threat to the English team.
Tuchel highlighted that Argentina’s players constantly work around Messi to maximize his effect on games. Instead of assigning all of England’s attention to Messi, Tuchel stressed the importance of disrupting the support he has from his teammates.
“Can we prepare for it, find the perfect solution, and focus excessively on him?” he added. “No. But we have to be brave, be careful when dealing with him, stop the support around him, and track all of his movements when he has the ball.”
This follows after the English team won a hard-fought game against Norway, where the coach was heavily critical of his team’s play, but praised their mentality and resilience in eventually overcoming their opponents. His comments did not land well with team star Jude Bellingham, leading Tuchel to clarify his comments.
“You need to be a special breed if you want to take the last step and play in these moments,” Tuchel had mentioned. “I cannot praise enough the players who perform, who put out physicality, who open their legs and feel free and put on a fight.”
All that said, Tuchel believes his team is ready to face Argentina, except Jordan Henderson, who won’t be there due to his broken arm, and Jarell Quansah, who has been suspended.
Only time will tell how the match between the two sides will go, but it’s clear that the English team has a plan in place for Lionel Messi.
