Thomas Tuchel Makes Bold Prediction On England Facing Lionel Messi In FIFA World Cup Semifinal

Published 15 July 2026 · sports

Thomas Tuchel Makes Bold Prediction On England Facing Lionel Messi In FIFA World Cup Semifinal Published By, Last Updated: July 15, 2026, 13:07 IST England

Thomas Tuchel Makes Bold Prediction On England Facing Lionel Messi In FIFA World Cup Semifinal Published By, Last Updated: July 15, 2026, 13:07 IST England coach Thomas Tuchel on facing Lionel Messi, Argentina in FIFA World Cup semifinal. Can the Three Lions reach their first final in 60 years? Rapid Read Lionel Messi celebrates with his teammate Julian Alvarez (9) after the World Cup quarterfinal against Switzerland (Picture credit: AP) England head coach Thomas Tuchel has said his team knows they cannot stop Lionel Messi for the entire duration of the FIFA World Cup semifinal, but they will find a way to get past Argentina and reach a World Cup final for the first time in six decades. The Three Lions have been led at the 2026 tournament by Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane, who have each scored six goals. Remarkably, it will be the first time Messi has faced England at the grand old age of 39, despite the game’s historical significance.

“We are totally aware that we can’t stop him all the time and for 100%. He is a very different player from Erling Haaland, but we did very, very well in our way, in the way you maybe should play against Erling, so we will find a way now," Tuchel said while speaking at the pre-match press conference. England will play Argentina in the semifinals at the Atlanta Stadium on Thursday. “It’s the first time I think that I personally played with a team against him. It’s just incredible how he pulls it out every single time, in so many different ways. I don’t feel a burden," Tuchel said. “We feel the tension and will be nervous, but that’s normal. What I like is that I feel the players are really competitive, hungry and excited to play this match. The two shirts are just iconic," Tuchel added. The two countries have met five times at the FIFA World Cup, with their most iconic encounter coming in the 1986 quarter-final, where Diego Maradona’s infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal helped Argentina bag a 2-1 victory over England.

“I think the players of both countries are very aware of what it means to them. If a fixture provides so many iconic moments, then you can’t say it’s just another football match, but as coaches, we do exactly that, focus on what we can influence," Tuchel said. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Key Questions Answered Will England finally reach a World Cup final after six decades? England coach Thomas Tuchel is confident his team can reach the World Cup final for the first time in 60 years. England seeks its first World Cup final appearance in 60 years. They will play Argentina in the semifinals. How will Tuchel's strategy counter Messi's unique playstyle? England coach Thomas Tuchel stated his team cannot stop Lionel Messi 100% but will find a way to advance. Wayne Rooney suggested Messi's defensive performance could be a weakness for Argentina, creating openings for England's aggressive players.