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World Cup: Tuchel enjoys experience with England as Argentina clash looms
13th July, 2026 06:56 AM
England’s head coach Thomas Tuchel says he is loving the World Cup experience, adding that there is nowhere else in the whole wide world he would rather be than leading the Three Lions into a World Cup semi-final against reigning champions Argentina.
After finding a way to beat the Democratic Republic of Congo and co-hosts Mexico, Jude Bellingham’s brace proved enough to edge past Norway as Saturday’s tense quarter-final victory went to extra time.
England’s next task on the global stage is a clash with Argentina, who won 3-1 having also needed 120 minutes to overcome 10-man Switzerland in the late kick-off.
“I’m enjoying it a lot. I feel very alive in these moments.
“To lead a team out on the field and to be there, and preparation is done, and then you go out, and then the last two or three minutes before a match, I feel very alive. This is where I want to be. I don’t want to be anywhere else in the world in these minutes. And in this very moment, nowhere else in the whole wide world.
“I enjoy it a lot, but having a knockout match every three, four days is, yeah, a new level of demand and a new level of emotional roller coaster. I admit that, so I also need a bit of time now,” he said.
The gaffer also gave a sneak peek of how England will approach the game after enduring another day of extreme heat in their sixth World Cup match that stretched into extra time to find a way past the stubborn Norwegians.
“We will give the players (Sunday) full recovery and start, at the latest, in the afternoon our preparation for the match with the staff. “The next three days are crucial for recovery. This victory will help a lot. We have a top facility, and we will be ready.”
This, however, comes after Tuchel admitted he was not happy with England’s performance in their nervy quarter-final win over Norway – admitting the Three Lions were lucky.
“The head of mine is not fully satisfied. I think we can play faster and be more clinical. We had too many unforced errors and technical mistakes that cost us a lot of belief,” he said.
Semifinal promises heavyweight battle
With both teams now one match away from the World Cup final, Sunday’s semifinal is widely expected to be one of the biggest clashes of the tournament.
Argentina enters the contest aiming to defend the title it won in 2022, while England is chasing its first World Cup crown since 1966.
Although Argentina has survived several scares in the knockout rounds, England arguably represents the strongest opponent the South Americans have faced at the tournament.
The semifinal will pit Lionel Messi and Argentina’s experience against an England side that has repeatedly shown its ability to fight through adversity, setting the stage for a blockbuster encounter with a place in the FIFA World Cup final at stake.
