2026 FIFA World Cup: Semifinals - Argentina vs. England

Kane = 2 Euro finals
Higuain = 1 WC final + 2 CA finals

Kane has long way to go to be in 5th tier goat level.

Imagine having to join a team that won like 20 league titles in last 21 seasons to finally win something.

 

This is perhaps the most underrated part of Scaloni's management. The unity of the team. It's why we got the likes of Pazzella, Guido, Armani, etc.

These guys are spending months together, most of the time off the pitch, away from their families, etc. Its super important to have a good environment. You think Dembele and Mbappe are getting along at the hotel?

 

This is good, thanks.

 

Yeah Ortega was superb in 1998 game too.

 

I rewatch the match. Pretty sure Tuchel believed Argentina were exhausted after 3 tense KO games, so he wanted England to physically abuse Argentina from start. But what he didn't expect is that his opponents were not affraid but even engage on every duels aggressively. His plan failed.

England then managed to score one goal from a counter and that's that. They didn't have anything in this match. They couldn't deal with Argentina's agression so Tuchel decided to focus on protecting the lead.

It all sound very reasonable but you will never know in a football match, especially in semi final of Wolrd Cup and against Leo Messi of all people.

 

Ortega was scoring , assiting, winning a penalty , drew fouls in danger area, creating chances at will, also hit the post against Netherlands.

And then that headbutt happened...

 

Ortega's head could barely read the shoulders of the keeper for the headbutt to work lol that was of course a dive

 

Yes, it's been a tradition among Argentina fans forever. There hasn't been a single coach that has been respected, except grudgingly Sabella. Every person who has barely played thinks they can do better.

 

Ya, England didn't *decide* to sit back, they were *pinned* back. Partially due to their fatigue from pressing and their players cracking under stress, partially due to our more aggressive and sharper play. Prior to them going 5 at the back, Messi's short cross finds Nico G to force a great save.

What was great to see was how cool our guys were executing play around England's box, with the crosses being so accurate. Normally, we hate it when we have to resort to crosses but in this case every cross was so dangerous. Mac Allister, particularly, is so good at finding little pockets.

 

Pure garbage. There have been multiple managers who have never played. Keep concocting your fairytale.

Sacchi, Parreira and Mourinho to name just three. Football is not quantum mechanics. It's a pretty simple game and anyone who has watched the sport over years builds up a feel for players abilities and patterns in a game.

 

Haters...

 

I also re-watched the match last night. I agree. In addition to England players getting tired after their all-out high press for 55 minutes, our physicality really stood out. Everyone was flying into tackles and throwing their body at the English players. We physically abused them and it wore them down. They were crying about so many tackles in the first 55 minutes, in addition to their high press. You can see how exhausted (mentally and physically) the England players became. Their goal was a huge relief to them, then they lost adrenaline and crashed.

Mac, Enzo, Tagliafico, Simeone, and Paredes in particular were warriors on the battlefield. Licha and Romero had to be very careful because of the early yellows. Alvarez did a lot of selfless defensive work in the first half to help beat the press. He was playing as a LCM while Enzo and Mac dropped deeper to cover Jude and Kane.

I guess all that asada BBQ really is good for something.

 

Yes and he has not shown up for Bayern in the CL later stages when they need him.
Without winning the CL at Bayern or the next Euros for England we can essentially say he never won anything. Bayern even lost the league in his first season somehow.

 

Yes there are good tactical breakdowns you can literally see the english coaches yelling at them to move up the pitch and see Stones pushing Rice off him because he is collapsing so deep.

Their midfield did the same against Norway they blitzed them in the first half and in the 2nd the collapsed and conceded two goals and a cross bar with one goal being taken back. The goal they scored off a goal kick and off Lisandros poor clearance were similar as they kindly fell to them and did the work of creating an opportunity that was not there otherwise.

Tuchel saw them do this for 17m and figured the only chance he had was to go to a back 5.
Norway are not Argentina and Scaloni pressed even higher with players of much more quality so it was far worse. Of course Tuchel made it worse eventually but it's a complete what if excuse because he saw Argentina were going to score regardless.

 

Romero? From Tottenham? He was awful at Tot last season?

 

He was checked out. Have you seen how good he has been all tournament?

 

There was one notable play in the 60th minute or so, we had possession just right of midfield, Gordon was sprinting to press the ball but he had no support from anyone else. We played a few simple triangle passes like a training session and Gordon kept chasing like a headless chicken, until finally Cuti passed it back to Dibu and Gordon had to give up, exhausted like the rest of his teammates whom were standing around watching him.

 

What a stupid take. He was never awful, he won Europa their first trophy and was the best defender in a shambolic trash club. He will move to Spain and be the best defender for next decade

 

Ironic the guy scolding us for criticizing the decisions isnt even familiar with the team and doesnt rate the best players from his biased paradigm

 

Yes he was also defender of the year in Serie A when Spurs purchased him. Premier League fans are strange in how they rate players anyone that is not on the premier league winning team is considered "trash" to them.

 

Its been like this forever. Their midfield is so average technically but its like 100s of millions valuation just for being born in the right place and running lmao