SOCCER: England focused on future, not history, before Argentina clash, says Tuchel

ATLANTA — England manager Thomas Tuchel said his players are not dwelling on the long and often controversial history between England and Argentina as they prepare for Wednesday’s FIFA World Cup semifinal, insisting that the occasion itself is already significant enough.

The heavyweight encounter brings together two of world football’s most storied nations, with the fixture producing some of the tournament’s most memorable moments over the years.

However, Tuchel said England’s preparations have focused on the challenge ahead rather than the history surrounding the rivalry.

“I would say it’s irrelevant, but I’m not sure about it,” Tuchel told reporters on the eve of the semifinal.

“I think the players are very aware of both countries and what it means to them. If a fixture provides so many iconic moments, I think you cannot just say it’s just another football match.

“But as a coach, we do exactly that: focus on what we can influence. We don’t actually speak about the historic events. We don’t speak about the iconic moments. It’s in itself iconic enough, and the attention is big enough.”

With the winner advancing to face Spain in Sunday’s final, Tuchel said his coaching staff is working to keep the message simple for players as the pressure increases.

“The bigger the stage gets, the bigger the tension grows,” he said. “So hopefully, we can simplify the messages enough that they can execute it.”

Weight of History

England are aiming to reach their first World Cup final in 60 years since winning the tournament on home soil in 1966, but Tuchel rejected suggestions that the team is carrying the burden of history.

“I don’t feel a burden,” he said. “I will feel the nerves and the tension tomorrow. That just comes naturally in these matches.”

Instead, Tuchel said he has seen a squad that is eager and motivated to embrace the challenge.

“What I really like in the last days is that the players are very competitive, they are very excited, they are hungry to play this match,” he said.

“The two (England and Argentina) shirts are just iconic. The historic matches are iconic. There are iconic moments, but everyone recognizes these shirts. Straight away, everyone recognizes the players.

“It is an absolute beauty in the magnitude of a match, in the magnitude of an occasion.”

Tuchel also dismissed thoughts about becoming the first foreign coach to lead a country to World Cup glory.

“It just doesn’t work like this for me,” he said. “I don’t have these kinds of goals and don’t set these goals. I just love what I do, and I’m grateful for the opportunity.”

The German coach added that one of the biggest values of the World Cup is its ability to bring people together.

“I think that’s essentially what the World Cup is for — to excite the country, to excite fans and to transmit energy and make people forget their worries, make people’s lives better for 90, 120 minutes and be united and represented by a team,” he said.

“There’s so much to love about this England squad, and I’m very glad that people feel it.”

Emotionally Charged Contest

Tuchel expects an emotionally charged semifinal against Argentina but stressed that England will not use the countries’ history as extra motivation.

“We know why we’re here. We know what we want,” he said. “We are in the semifinals. We arrived very hungry in the semifinals. We want to have the next win.

“We respect our opponent, but we don’t dip into historic events and we don’t make it bigger than it is. It’s a big football match, a big occasion.”

Argentina captain Lionel Messi has been one of the main talking points ahead of the match, and Tuchel praised the influence of the veteran forward.

“Once Leo Messi has the ball, the movement starts, and just the technical execution of the delivery and of the supply of Messi is on the absolutely highest level,” he said.

“So there’s a lot to take care of, but we are here to impose our style, to impose our strengths.” -Reporting by Lori Ewing; Editing by Ken Ferris/Reuters