'We Need to Stop the Support' - Thomas Tuchel Reveals England's Plan to Stop Lionel Messi

England manager Thomas Tuchel has revealed his plan to neutralise the "incredible" Lionel Messi in their do-or-die World Cup clash, insisting the key is to avoid focusing exclusively on the Argentine superstar.

Thomas Tuchel hailed Messi as "right up there" among the greatest players in history, noting his consistent ability to decide games, a feat he has repeated with eight goals in this tournament.

However, the England boss believes Argentina's true strength lies in the entire squad's unwavering commitment to supporting their iconic captain.

According to Tuchel, the Argentine camp has been meticulously built around Messi. From fostering a tight-knit "family" atmosphere with team barbecues to ensuring their talisman receives the ball in dangerous areas, every aspect is designed to help him thrive. This collective dedication, Tuchel argues, is what makes them so formidable.

"They buy into the idea to support Messi, to help him, and they're just ready when he bursts into action to make the difference," Tuchel explained as quoted by Express UK.

"We will prepare for that, of course. Can you prepare for that and find a recipe and focus too much on him? No."

"We need to be brave around him, and we need to stop the support," he continued. "We need to take care of all the movements that happen when he's on the ball. We're totally aware that they cannot stop him all the time and for one hundred percent."

Drawing a parallel to a different type of forward, Tuchel added, "It's a very different player than Erling Haaland, but we did very, very well in our way... We will find a way now."

Despite his reputation for conserving energy, statistics show Messi has twice covered over 5km at walking pace in a single World Cup match, he proved his decisive quality when it mattered most.

Against Egypt in the last 16, with Argentina trailing 2-0 and facing elimination, Messi inspired a dramatic 3-2 comeback, keeping their hopes of a second consecutive World Cup title alive.

This will be the first time Tuchel has managed a team against Messi, an encounter he is eagerly anticipating.

"It is just incredible how he pulls it out every single time, in so many different ways," Tuchel said. "He finds spaces, he finds moments, and I think the big thing is the whole team buys into that idea."

When asked if Messi is the greatest of all time, Tuchel remained diplomatic. "One of them," he responded. "I'm not the right person to ask... there are so many different layers in football... but he is right up there for sure."

Having managed elite clubs like Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, and Paris Saint-Germain, Tuchel has worked with some of the world's best players.

His time at PSG gave him insight into the South American mentality through players like Neymar Jr. and Marquinhos, though he departed before Messi arrived in 2021.

Tuchel noted that Argentina's approach of building the team around a superstar, even relocating their training base near Messi's Florida home, is a strategy that resonates deeply with South American culture.

"My experience with South American players... is they love this family feeling," he observed. "They love the feeling of being a family, eating together, having barbecues together... That's where they thrive."

"I think it's not artificial... It's just a totally different mindset," Tuchel concluded. "That is basically their strength; they are ready to give everything for Leo Messi. Even if they are key players, big players in their clubs, it's just how it is. They thrive from that. This is totally normal for them and makes them very, very strong."