Tuchel considers man-marking Messi in World Cup semi-final
Thomas Tuchel has admitted he is considering deploying an old-fashioned man-marking tactic to stop Lionel Messi when England face Argentina in Wednesday night’s blockbuster World Cup semi-final, reports BritPanorama.
The Three Lions stand just one victory away from reaching their first World Cup final since 1966. They must first overcome the reigning champions and an Argentina side inspired by Messi’s remarkable form. Messi has scored eight goals in the tournament, placing him level with France captain Kylian Mbappe at the top of the Golden Boot standings.
Containing the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has become Tuchel’s biggest tactical challenge ahead of the clash in Atlanta. The England boss revealed he has even discussed assigning one player to follow Messi wherever he goes. “I was thinking about this, if we do a proper old school man-mark,” Tuchel stated. “I’m not sure if we follow through with this idea but it crossed my mind.”
Tuchel acknowledged that preparing for Messi is unlike stopping any other player, given the veteran forward’s extraordinary ability to create opportunities during matches. “I think everyone knows the spaces where he wants to show up,” he explained. “It’s just like, you analyse the matches, you feel he just sees stuff earlier than anyone else on the field.”
He elaborated on Messi’s skill set: “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. 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 just what it is.”
Tuchel also described the upcoming match as one of the biggest moments of his managerial career. “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,” he said. This match will be Messi’s first senior international appearance against England and Tuchel’s first meeting with the Argentina captain as a manager.
Adding another intriguing subplot, Argentina will wear their dark blue away strip instead of their traditional sky blue and white shirts. This choice has spurred discussion, as Argentina wore the dark blue kit when they eliminated England from the World Cups in 1986 and 1998.
Twelve years later, they again wore dark blue before beating England on penalties after a dramatic 2-2 draw in France. Reflecting on the superstitions surrounding the match, Tuchel noted he would embrace any advantage derived from them. “I would have done the same if there was any superstition combined with it,” he mentioned, joking about his own matchday rituals. “I have my superstitious routines. I will not tell you because another superstition is that if I tell you, it will not work.”
As anticipation builds for this historic confrontation, the dynamics of sport and superstition intertwine, reminding fans how deeply sport reflects the cultural tapestry of nations.
