Thomas Tuchel has expressed his trust in England's 'special breed' of players to find a way past Lionel Messi's Argentina in the World Cup semi-final on Wednesday. The head coach praised his squad's ability to rise to the occasion and 'put on a fight' against the defending champions.
Tuchel's playing career and Sacchi comparison
Tuchel, who was forced to retire as a player at 24 due to a knee injury, referenced Arrigo Sacchi's famous line: 'You don't have to be a horse to be a good jockey.' Sacchi used the phrase in 1987 when he was appointed Milan manager despite having no professional playing career. Tuchel, who played no higher than Bundesliga 2 with Stuttgart Kickers and semi-professionally at SSV Ulm, described his own career as 'mediocre at best.'
Bellingham's jibe and Tuchel's response
The context for Tuchel's remarks includes a jibe from Jude Bellingham after England's 2-1 quarter-final win against Norway. Bellingham, who scored in first-half injury time and again in extra-time, was unamused by Tuchel's criticism of his team's technical levels. 'Maybe he doesn't know what it's like to play in those kind of conditions against Erling Haaland, Martin Ødegaard, Antonio Nusa, Alexander Sørloth,' Bellingham said. Tuchel stressed that he loved much of what his players did but reserved the right to highlight shortcomings to keep the squad on their toes.
Tuchel's admiration for his players
Tuchel has turned the spotlight on his players in the buildup, showing admiration and confidence. 'It just strikes me from time to time on the sideline right before the match that I couldn't play here on this occasion,' he said. 'I had an FA Cup final with Chelsea where you walk out with the players for the national anthem. And I just felt like: 'Wow.'' He recalled a similar moment as Borussia Dortmund coach, thinking: 'I'm so glad I don't have to play because I would not have the legs for it.'
The stakes of the semi-final
The stakes are high, with England having played in only three World Cup semi-finals: winning in 1966, losing on penalties in 1990, and losing in 2018. Tuchel focuses on what players need to do rather than the end product. 'It is to focus on what the players need to do to become that, not to talk about the end product,' he said.
Messi and Argentina's vulnerabilities
Tuchel rates Messi as 'one of the greats' but does not put him on a pedestal. He mentioned how well England played against Norway's Erling Haaland, adding: 'So we will find a way now [against Messi].' Argentina have not controlled matches, partly due to their structure with Messi and Julián Alvarez as a front two. They have been defensively loose and over-run at times, but they fight until the last breath. England have not hit their peak but create chances and do not look finished when trailing.
Tuchel's excitement
Tuchel feels the excitement rising. 'These last two minutes as a coach before matches and even more so now with the national anthem … I feel so alive,' he said. 'I don't want to be anywhere else in the world in these kind of moments.' Then, it will be over to his thoroughbreds.
