It crossed my mind - Thomas Tuchel reveals plan to stop Lionel Messi in England vs Argentina FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final
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Messi will face England for the first time in his career.
England coach Thomas Tuchel says he pondered man-marking Lionel Messi in tonight’s FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final against Argentina.
Lionel Messi, who is tied for the tournament’s leading goalscorer with Kylian Mbappé, will play England for the first time in his remarkable career at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The winner will face Spain in Sunday’s final in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Also read: How will FIFA’s traditional rule be broken at the World Cup 2026 final?
Thomas Tuchel explains his plans to stop Lionel Messi in England vs Argentina
Tuchel stated this in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday:
“I was thinking about this, if we do a proper old school man-mark [on Messi].”
“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.”
Tuchel also remarked that the event itself is one of the pinnacles of his management career.
This will be Lionel Messi’s first senior international appearance against England. Also, Tuchel’s first meeting with the Argentina captain as a manager.
Even though Lionel Messi doesn’t possess the same agility as he did a few years ago, he can still be a difference-maker in these high-stakes games.
Another fascinating plotline is that Argentina will wear their dark blue away strip instead of their famed sky blue and white jerseys in the game tonight.
The decision has sparked much debate. Argentina used the dark blue shirt when they defeated England in the 1986 and 1998 World Cups.
How many goals has Lionel Messi scored in the FIFA World Cup 2026?
He has eight goals so far.
Where will the England vs Argentina FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final game be played?
It will be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
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After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.