The tension ahead of the World Cup semi-final is best surmised from the emotional backdrop in the respective nations: England fears Argentina. Argentina despises England.
Those feelings could come to dominate events in Atlanta.
England’s hopes rest on anguish being felt only by the fans, on Thomas Tuchel’s tactical planning providing the foundation for a confidence that allows his side’s superiority to show.
In other words, it rests on controlling their emotions, because the Argentina players almost certainly will not. For their part, the animosity will be felt almost as deeply as the supporters’.
Argentina are an emotional side. They have had to scrap to victories in this tournament but that has, to an extent, been a choice. It definitely will be on Wednesday, when, in an air-conditioned stadium, the pace will be frenetic and the tackles hard.
A wobbly England - a tepid or fearful performance similar to the Norway win - will be punished. But the good news is that as long as Tuchel’s side overcome nerves they can capitalise ruthlessly on the Argentine setup, psychologically and tactically.
First and foremost, if the game is as feisty as anticipated England will be the better team.
Enzo Fernandez and Alexis Mac Allister simply aren’t as hardy as Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson, as we saw when both midfielders were bypassed repeatedly by a counter-attacking Egypt, who were by far the most assertive side Argentina have faced and yet still well outside the elite level England can reach.
And Egypt’s fast transitions are something Tuchel will have been studying the last few days.
SCENES IN ATLANTA! 🫨
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 7, 2026
Mostafa Ziko scores on the second time of asking after his first was ruled out by VAR pic.twitter.com/0QH3wwqR3g
Ever since he first took the job Tuchel has talked about playing with Premier League energy, which is to say sharp counter-pressing and quick breaks after possession changes hands.
He has been building towards this tactical setup ever since, selecting pacey wingers to run beyond a dropping Harry Kane, but until now there has been no option to deploy this central idea.
Every single opponent at this World Cup has sat deep to frustrate England, except for Croatia, who by opening up a little exposed themselves to Premier League rhythms, hence England’s brilliant attacking performance.
DR Congo, Mexico, and Norway might sound like a kind run to the semi-finals but for England it could scarcely have been more difficult. They have been preparing to face equals and on Wednesday they finally will, in perfect conditions and against a team of small players potentially riled up by the occasion.
England have a tactical advantage tied up in an emotional one.
If that’s the pattern of the match, then the key battle is between Anthony Gordon and Nahuel Molina, because right-back has been an even bigger problem for Lionel Scaloni at this World Cup than it has been for Tuchel. Switzerland and Egypt dominated down that side, although there are holes everywhere.
Argentina have conceded five goals in their three knockout matches. They were 2-0 down to Egypt and survived, then needed an extra-time 25-yarder from Julian Alvarez to sneak past Switzerland, whose physicality was enough to knock the Argentine midfield off course: “it was very difficult for us to win the duels, to put more than five or six passes together,” as Scaloni admitted after the game.
The danger, of course, is a moment like Alvarez’s.
Lionel Messi has never played England before. He is simply impossible to prepare for, and even if Reece James returns to the side there has been enough brittleness in England’s central defence for Messi’s force of will to be the difference.
Messi is to be feared, as is the ‘Hand of God’, France 98, and all that it means to stand on the precipice of a first World Cup final since 1966.
But then again Argentina will fear Jude Bellingham. Kane, too. England have the deeper bench and the better manager. They are the bookies’ favourite and rightly so.
It isn’t in the English nature to say it, but England are better than Argentina - and have all the tools they need to prove it.
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