Thomas Tuchel has expressed confidence that England can neutralize Lionel Messi in the World Cup semi-final, drawing on their success in the quarter-final against Norway where Erling Haaland was kept quiet. Speaking after the 2-0 victory over Norway, Tuchel praised Messi as 'incredible' but insisted his team has the tactical discipline to handle the Argentine star.
'We have a plan. We showed against Norway that we can shut down world-class players. Messi is different, but the principles are the same,' Tuchel said. The England manager highlighted the work of Declan Rice and the defensive line in limiting Haaland to just one shot on target.
England now face Argentina on July 18 in the semi-final. Messi has scored four goals in the tournament so far, including a brace in the quarter-final against the Netherlands. Tuchel acknowledged the challenge but remained upbeat: 'We respect Messi, but we don't fear him.'
