Thomas Tuchel insists that the magnitude of facing Argentina — and the brilliance of Lionel Messi — will force a sharper, more disciplined performance from England when the two sides meet in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final on Wednesday in Atlanta.

The winner of that contest will face Spain in the final on Sunday, raising the stakes even higher for both nations.

Tuchel's honest assessment of England's quarter-final

Tuchel did not shy away from criticising England's extra-time victory over Norway in the quarter-final, pointing to technical sloppiness as the primary obstacle to their rhythm.