Thomas Tuchel stated that he is capable of leading England to World Cup victory, comparing his managerial role to that of a jockey who doesn't need to be a horse to guide one. His remarks come in the context of the team's upcoming semi-final match against Argentina in Atlanta.
The build-up to the game has also been influenced by comments from England star Jude Bellingham regarding Tuchel's assessment of the team's technical performance in their recent 2-1 win over Norway. Bellingham, who scored both goals in that match, initially responded with "whatever" to questions about the manager's criticism during an on-pitch interview. Later, he suggested that Tuchel might not fully grasp the challenges of playing in high-stakes games against elite opponents like Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard.
Tuchel addressed Bellingham's reaction, stating he has no issue with it and believes the player was only exposed to the "negative" aspect of his analysis. The manager met with his squad at their training base in Kansas City to clarify his remarks. He emphasized that he had called Bellingham a "world-class player" and highlighted his "world-class actions" that decided the match, alongside praising the team's mentality.
"I think our comments come from the same place from being competitive and having the edge when competition is on," Tuchel said of his exchange with Bellingham. "He was just confronted with the negative side... It's just a very normal reaction for a player of his mindset."
Tuchel confirmed he spoke to the entire team to deliver the same message and reiterated it on Monday evening, directing their focus towards the semi-final. He acknowledged the historical and emotional significance of the upcoming match against Argentina, noting their strong cohesion and emotional style of play.
"They are fuelled by history, it means a lot to them," Tuchel observed. "So this is what we expect and what we are up against."
England faces the challenge of containing Lionel Messi, who has scored eight goals in the tournament. While acknowledging Messi's exceptional ability to consistently make a difference, Tuchel drew parallels to the team's successful strategy in limiting Erling Haaland's impact.
"It is just incredible, how he (Messi) pulls it out every single time, in so many different ways," Tuchel said. "He finds spaces, he finds moments, and the big thing is that the whole team buys into that idea to support him... We need to be brave around him, we need to stop the support, and we need to take care of all the movements that happen when he's on the ball. We are totally aware that we cannot stop him all the time. He's a very different player from Erling Haaland, but we did very well in the way you maybe should play against Erling, so we will find a way now."
Tuchel also confirmed a full squad is available for selection, with Declan Rice having trained well after recovering from illness. The manager may consider a single change to the lineup that defeated Norway, potentially bringing Bukayo Saka in for Noni Madueke, while maintaining the same defensive unit.