England manager Thomas Tuchel has revealed he is weighing an old-fashioned man-marking approach to neutralise Lionel Messi when England face Argentina in Wednesday’s FIFA World Cup semi-final.
Messi, who shares the tournament’s scoring lead with Kylian Mbappe on eight goals, is set to play against England for the first time in his glittering career at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The winner of the last-four clash will meet Spain in the World Cup final on Sunday.
“I was thinking about this, if we do a proper old-school man-mark on Messi,” Tuchel said at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday.
“I’m not sure if we follow through with this idea, but it crossed my mind. I think everyone knows the spaces where he wants to show up. It’s just like, you analyse the matches, you feel he just sees stuff earlier than anyone else on the field.”
Messi has combined his eight goals with two assists during Argentina’s run to the last four.
“It’s just like the ball drops to him, he finds the gap, he makes himself the space for his left foot and then executes the solution on the very highest level,” Tuchel said.
“I think we found some patterns in their game, of course, but if we close the patterns, he will find a new one or create a new one.
“It is his super strength. It is an exciting setup. It is very unique to play against the reigning champions, it is very unique to play against Leo Messi and his team. It is unique to play with England against Argentina. It is just a big match in every department.”
TUCHEL PLAYS DOWN ENGLAND-ARGENTINA RIVALRY
Tuchel confirmed England have a near full-strength squad for the semi-final, with only Jordan Henderson ruled out because of a broken arm, while Jarell Quansah will miss the match through suspension.
The German also refused to use the long-standing rivalry between England and Argentina as extra motivation, insisting his players were focused only on securing a place in the final.
“We don’t use it as fuel,” Tuchel said.
“We know why we’re here. We know what we want. We were never shy of expecting that from us, of saying it, of dreaming it. We are in the semi-finals. We arrive very hungry, we want to have the next win.
“We respect our opponent but we don’t dip into historic events and don’t make it bigger than it is. It is a big football match, a big occasion. We are very excited, grateful, hungry and ready to go.”
ENGLAND’S TOUGH ROAD TO LAST FOUR
Tuchel also reflected on England’s demanding run to the semi-finals, which featured a dramatic comeback victory over DR Congo, a 3-2 win against Mexico at the Azteca Stadium and an extra-time triumph over Norway in the sweltering Miami heat.
“You have non-stop knockout football which is quite nerve-wracking, especially if you follow our way with red cards, with going behind, VAR checks and over-time,” he said.
“We had to ride some rollercoaster experiences that cost a lot. It is kind of draining. We played in altitude, we played in the heat, we had to travel in between.”
Despite the physical and mental demands of the tournament, Tuchel said the challenge continued to energise him.
“It fuels me, it makes me feel alive. I love it so much that it gives me energy every day.”
Asked how he disconnects between matches, the England coach revealed his simple routine.
“I try to do my morning sport and sometimes you just go on a bike, you just need a big parking lot and an ice cream in your hand for 15 minutes and you feel like a 15-year-old, not 50.
“You enjoy your evening in a warm summer evening for 15 minutes and you reconnect to the beauty of that feeling we all have inside of us. That’s sometimes all it needs.”
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