Football Daily - World Cup: MNC - how England can beat Argentina

Episode Date: July 13, 2026

Mark Chapman, Chris Sutton, Conor Coady and Rory Smith look ahead to England's World Cup semi-final with Argentina. They discuss: Thomas Tuchel's criticism of the performance against Norway, the rivalry with Argentina and how the Three Lions should set up to stop Messi. Plus Nico O'Reilly joins from England's base. 3:45 Was there anything wrong with Thomas Tuchel's comments after the Norway match? 14:01 Do England need to get better to beat Argentina? 18:34 Nico O'Reilly joins live from the England camp 25:02 The rivalry between England Argentina 30:26 What XI will Tuchel select for the semi-final? 52:52 No England goal scorer that are based in the Premier League

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. A vicious gang of hackers causing chaos for businesses, councils and hospitals. What if I don't finish this treatment and this cancer grows? But they didn't care. I'm dying laughing. Making outrageous demands for money. They wanted millions. It was high tech and high stakes.

The country's under attack. And it was highly secretive until someone exposed it all. Cyberhack, Season 4, The Contifiles. Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your BBC podcasts. The People World Cup 2026, the Football Daily Podcasts with Mark Chapman. With us on this Monday nightclub, Chris Sutton, Rory Smith and Connor Cody. Chris and Rory both in Dallas, getting ready for France against Spain. Connors had a pre-season friendly.

Was it away against Visla Krakoff? It was, yeah. It was. Like over there, or like one of these showbiz games where you get paid to do it as an exhibition at the Emirates? No, it was over there, yeah. I think it was the 150th anniversary or something, so the invited, it was a proper game, by the way.

Proper game, big crowd. It was good, really good for a first preseason game, ain't you? Was that your first runout of the season? Yeah, first 45, and I felt it. It felt like the first 45 as well of him being honest. To be fair, you felt that paddle match we had. So I was assuming you might feel a professional football match. Yeah, but to be fair, I won't that.

What paddle match was that? What paddle match? I've not heard about this. It was part of Conner's pre-season training routine that he was sent with when he came to New York and it involved taking on a very much aging sports presenter at paddle and getting the run around actually. What happened now, chapp?

You might as well tell Chris why we're talking about it now. Yeah. Sorry? You might as well tell Chris why we're talking about it now. What happened? It was very, very tight. And unfortunately, the advantage that Connor had was he picked the ends before we had choice. So he had two sets in the shade and I had two sets in the burning sun.

It's a big difference, Chris. Anyhow, back to you friendly. How did you do more importantly? Done okay, yeah. It was good. Like I said, it felt like the first friendly end of it was a typical friendly game, nil-nil. I think they were quite far into their preseason.

So it was a good test for us, mate. But it was a good game for us. They were a good club. Good club looked after us really well. So it was good being out there. In all seriousness, in the buildup to a first preseason friendly, are you being run a lot? Because I'm interested in the conditioning and the fitness side,

because it will come into discussions that we will have about England a little bit later. And we're hoping that Nico O'Reilly is going to join us live at some point just to tell us how tough it was in Miami. Are you in preseason being run? Yes. Yeah, massively. and the, so when you're in pre-seeing, you want you to be playing tired.

That's the biggest thing. Listen, scores and results, you want to win, of course. You want to win every game, of course, going into the start of the season, but you need to play tired. You need to know when to play tired, and we're certainly doing that. We've done that on Saturday.

Last week was really tough, if I'm going to be honest, and I'm feeling it now, sat in your chair while I'm in this studio, to be fair, Chapas, so I'm feeling it a little bit now. But no, it was a good game, and you know what's coming. I've done enough of them. I've done loads of them over the years,

so you know what's coming, but the idea of it is to play tired you. Are you broadcasting tired, Chris, after a long tournament? Well, all tournament I think I've broadcast tired. That's just another day, isn't it? And I mean, Ross was saying that this is like a Monday lunchtime club. Yeah, you might need to say who Ross is, Chris. You can't just bring random characters into the show.

Ross is my boss. Right, okay. Yeah, so Ross is, well, he's my boss. I don't know whether he's your boss. I think he's your own boss. Look how he sat Chris. You think he was his own boss? I know, yeah.

I'm just on a very low bonquette in a room in Atlanta at the moment. It's like a bonk, it's like sort of half-sofer, half chair. Let's talk England, Argentina, because people haven't tuned in for two hours of this nonsense. Let's start with Thomas Tuchel, shall we? And his comment after the quarter-final performance. do you see that there's journalistically as I'll start with you Rory before we're on to the player side of things

do you think there's anything wrong with what he said because it just struck me as being honest and what a lot of people watching will have thought yeah I mean I think he was he was right I think he said what fans would have seen I think probably

what the players when they come to look at the performance when they come to analyse it that that's what they'll think I think you can probably make an argument that in the moment that in the moment it maybe wasn't the wisest thing to say but I think we forget too easily

that everyone involved is a grown-up and therefore can probably take it is what I would say. I was slightly surprised that I would have thought that the easy way out there is to say as he did actually like incredible mentality difficult circumstances, high pressure game

sometimes you just have to get through he maybe was trying to say that and just didn't quite express himself as he would have wanted there's an element of storming a teacup about it I thought he got, I mean, without going back over the whole mentality thing again, but he got that across. He was pleased with the attitude of his players, Connor.

He just didn't think there were elements obviously of their game that he didn't like. And actually, if he'd have gone out and said, oh, we were amazing, we were brilliant, did everything we wanted to do, he wouldn't have been ridiculed in the dressing room, but they'd have seen that as a smokescreen, wouldn't they? I mean, you're not daft. They're not daft. No, 100%. And I think as players, you understand that.

Especially in the heat of the moment, let's not forget it was directly after the game. So there's things going on. He's not watched the game back. He's not gone over it again. So I think as players, you understand, that managers are there to give their honest opinion, especially a manager like him. Let's be honest, at this moment in time, chappas, we're absolutely all loving everything he's doing. Everything he does in a game day, he changes he's making, everything.

He says how he holds himself. So as a player, you certainly understand when a manager comes out and says that after the game. But I also flip it. And obviously, we're going to what Jude said as well. I loved every part of it because I can also speak on behalf of a player and you sit down on behalf of a play and you just played in 40 degrees.

Football is hard. You're playing at the highest level. It's tough in the quarter final of a World Cup. So the whole aspect of every part of them interviews, the one from Thomas Tuchel, which I thought was brilliant, but then the return shot from Jude, which I thought was brilliant. And for me, it's brilliant to see all around

because it means everybody cares about this situation. We all want to be in the same boat. But I definitely look at it from the players' point of view and go, I fully expect my manager to give me the honest criticism, the honest appraisal, whenever that's right at all times. And then players obviously have their opinion as well. Chris?

Well, I mean, what did he say, really? Which was, you know, if you're a player, what are you offended by? Nothing really. He said, you know, England can play better. Let me give you a quote of what he said then, as you asked it. We got lucky. We made life very, very difficult for ourselves. The result is fantastic.

We're in the last four. It's amazing. I'm not happy with the performance. We made life difficult for us in the way we played and how he played sloppy, a lot of technical mistakes, not fast enough, not repetitive enough. And the players would agree with every word of that. He didn't single any player out individually and slam them, but then he talked about what has been positive throughout the tournament,

the belief, the team spirit. But there has been a lack of quality, and the players would accept that. And that's the beautiful part of it for me, is that the players will be feeling that they haven't quite. clicked yet at this World Cup. But, you know, the fact that he didn't single anybody out and fill at them and Bellingham coming back and saying what he said,

it's no big deal, any of that. He'll definitely be thinking to himself, Thomas Tuchel, what everybody's talking about now, because this is all we've spoke about since the game, which I'm a little bit shocked by, to be honest with it. He'll be sat there and going, what in the world are we all talking about here? I've said something after the game that,

as the manager of the national team, I can say, and the players will take it on board. and they'll go forward. But Chris has just mentioned there that there has been signs of quality as well. Some of the goals we score, some of the play that we have with the front too, there has been unbelievable quality

within the games as well. So, yeah, I just think this has been blown so far out of proportion. It's unbelievable because he'll be sat there now in the hotel laughing his head off going. I can't believe this has gone to where it's gone to with what I've said. I always think we read too much

into kind of motivations, especially as Connor says, of those like the Flash interview straight after games because everyone is still pulsing with adrenaline. I mean, Jude Belling will have been really badly dehydrated at that stage. It's not, I don't think anyone is thinking their straightest at that point. So I'm hesitant to say that, like, Tuchel had any other motivations.

He's probably not disappointed that we're talking about a sort of clash that my guesses would have been sorted out literally as soon as they saw each other if it was ever a problem rather than maybe exploring the reasons why maybe England. Do you see it as a clash? Well, no, it's not quite the right word. I just don't see it as a clash. I just think, I just kind of think they're both. right?

Bellingham's response and I should point out I obviously I can't see it live because I can't I'm not using a VPN but Bellingham's response

Yeah Yeah right I wish I had time to watch TV Do you think I've just come down for the mood? What? I'm genuinely not

genuinely not Okay And people say genuinely They're normally I know I know I've been watching I've been watching

an awful lot of fox I've been watching a lot of fox. Okay, of course you have. If Chris as the foreman of the jury has just found you guilty, but anyhow, cool. And that's the floor in the justice assistant. No, I think I think Ballinam's response is slightly unusual.

I wouldn't expect, and again, that's what I mean. Like, it's in the heat at the moment. No one is thinking, like, absolutely clearly at that moment, especially having just won a very tense World Cup quarterfinal. So I don't want to read too much into it. Bellanum's response, I think, is slightly unusual to hear a player back to his manager, whether you think he should have done or shouldn't have done.

And Connor and Chris will know this more than I do. My guess, I don't even know if they'd have mentioned it to each other, whether it would be even sufficient of a problem for them to have to, in inverted comments, like, clear the air. My guess is it's just two people who both have a point. They're all professionals that they'll get on with it. I actually don't think it was a bite back at the manager. I'm going to be completely honest.

I don't think it was a bite back at the manager. I think it was a question where Drew Bellingham just had an unbelievable game of football. won a quarterfinal for his team, his country, taking him to a semi-final. And the first question he gets asked is this one about England not playing well. In his eyes, England has just played fantastic. No matter whatever you say, we might say, it was this, it's that. But when you first come off a pitch and Chris will tell you the same thing,

you know what's happened? But I'm not a play like Jude Bellingham. I'm not as good as Drew Bellingham. He's just had probably one of the games of his life in the two goals he just scored. So to be asked that question straight away, I think it was more of a response of, I'm not really sure that's the right question because we've just got through to a semi-final, for me personally.

I think it was a bite back. You know, I do, I disagree with Connor slightly. But, you know, it's like Rory said, it's the heat of the moment. And Conner said, you know, he probably had his best game in an England jersey. So there's all that emotion, England finding a way to win. But again, I don't think it's any big deal. I don't, you know, why would there be a fallout there? Tuchel said what he said.

You know, we agreed with that. And then Bellingham and emotional Bellingham said what he said. It's no big deal. You can have disagreements. Yeah. Chris Sutton says you can have disagreements, that is. He said, maybe Tuchel doesn't know what it's like to play in those conditions against Erling Hall and Martin Oedegard, Antonio Nusa and Alexander Sallot.

You can't win every game, popping the ball and making a thousand passes. Sometimes you have to win dirty, and we did that. And I think having been in that stadium on Saturday, it was. uncomfortable in the press box. You were sweating in the press box. It was difficult. So goodness only knows what it was like at pitch level. And we made the

point actually, Matt Upsen made the point when he was with us on Sati in the UK, that that is very difficult to come through on the television back home because it was overcast. So when you see the sun on a boiling hot day, you can understand,

can't you, Con it? You can understand, oh, it must be hot there. But on an overcast day, you would have had no inkling of just how uncomfortable and hot it was. And then the second point of what Bellingham says there is what we have said during this tournament. Very few sides can just be swatted away. And there are very few sides capable of swatting anybody away at the moment. The gap has gone like that. Yeah, I was going to say there, Chapas, as well, you're exactly right with what you're saying. I think Jude's exactly right with what he's saying.

We haven't seen, and I said it the other week. I think I was on Renatim the other week. and we mentioned about England haven't blown a team away, really. We looked at the start to that second half against Croatia where I thought, oh my word, this is really good, the first half against Croatia, the second half against Croatia. But other than that, I can't remember a game where we've blown a team away. We've not going to done that.

What we've done is we've sure we're a team together, we've sure we're a team with spirit, we've got through games, we've grinded through games. The two boys up front have been unbelievable, and the lads have supported around them. And it's not going to change now when you're going into this moment right now where the pressure is getting more,

you're playing in a stadium like that. Actually, when you're watching from home chappas, if you watched the game the other day, where I was, when watching from Italy, and you watched how many players kind of took the time on the ball and the opposition just went and sat in.

You knew how it was. You knew what the lad of feeling. Honestly, you could tell with the way the game was going. So I fully understand what they're saying and how hard the conditions were, but it's so tough at a World Cup just to go and blow teams away. And he's exactly right.

You know, Conor, when you say it's not going to change, what do you actually mean by that? because I actually think in the semi-final against Argentina, it may not change. I think both teams are similar in the way that they've played. But on the other side of the draw, I do think that France and Spain are a level up from England and Argentina and have proved that. So if England want to go on and win the World Cup, I think the performance level really does have to go up a level or two. I would say a little bit the other way, Chris, in terms of, I mentioned there about we've not kind of, we've not kind of. of blowing a team away. We can win games in different ways.

I think you're going to find it so hard to go and blow away. So if we go and beat Argentina, which I hope we do, I expect us to, too, if I'm being honest, because I think we can. When I say, I expect us to. That's a really big thing to say, but I fully believe in this England team. You're not going to go and blow away, Spain or France, for me, if I'm going to be honest, the two unbelievable teams. Now, they might have done it on their side of the draw where they've gone and beat teams and they've gone and done it quite handsomely. But what I'm saying is they'll have to find a way to beat them two teams. Going toe to toe is going to be really hard.

Now, we've relied a lot on the two front boys and the boys behind have supported. And I just think they're going to have to do that now going forward because the pressure is ramping up and ramping up and ramping up. And when that ramps up, playing for England and being within that camp, it becomes hard. Do you think France or Spain have blown anyone away? Yeah, well, just on Spain, they edge past Belgium.

I think they've been the better team in every game that they've played. Yeah, and that's what's been misleading. When you talk about a team in this World Cup who have controlled games the most, that is Spain. The score lines might not suggest that but they are the team they are the best football team.

It is so that's why you know and they're a little bit different to the way they play than the way they you know the French do the French is all about their all about their front four and the pace and wizardry they have but Spain are the most

control team they are the best team and also the way that they have played in the fact that and I've not got all the stats on this. But when they lose the ball, they're able to press and recover the ball high up the pitch. They're playing differently to virtually every other team

in the competition from what I've seen. Well, yeah, until De Ketalara scored for Belgium, they hadn't conceded a goal all tournament. I think they'd only faced five shots on target, Spain, which is, I mean, defensively, they are astonishing. I'm not sold on Spain, Chris. I think they're lack of cutting edge because Yemales not fit and DeNico Williams isn't there

or isn't there in any kind of meaningful way. I think France are, I would agree with you on France. France have looked to me significantly better than everybody else in this tournament, which isn't to say they'll win it. Because if England get there, I think they have two genuine match winners and in a World Cup that can be enough.

And God knows what kind of religious ecstasy is driving Argentina at the moment, but they have a kind of magical power. They believe so strongly that they're going to win the World Cup that eventually everyone else believes it as well. But I think, so it's not to say that France will definitely win, but they, do you really think that? Do you really think that?

think that about Argentina? I think they don't make, I don't think, honestly believe that. Oh yeah. Based on what we've seen before. Really? Based on, based on their performances,

based on their struggle? Don't think the performance are relevant at all. I think every single, I've seen, I was at the Egypt game, which was one of the most astonishing kind of pieces of comeback football I've ever seen.

It makes no sense. I think, you know, Conner says he expects England to beat them. I think they are, inland certainly have the tools and definitely, athleticism to beat Argentina who aren't physically great, but there's a, there's a weird thing with Argentina that is their, it's both their great weakness and their superpower.

Was it not a very big comeback with an asterisk? To be fair, there were still two nil down. Well, yeah, it wasn't. Let's get it right. I saw Australia play Egypt off the park, Egypt straight through against them. And you're, yeah, and you're, well, I saw you there as well. It's a, the highlights of my tournament. No, but I think Argentina were, you know, Argentina were 13 minutes from growing up.

You know, but when you, you know, a great comeback, it was Egypt. You know, it's have an asterisk there. You still have to do with it. Hang on, I wasn't putting an asterisk there because it was Egypt before you get me into trouble. That wasn't why I was putting an asterisk there, Chris. But, you know, I've got to, I normally agree with a lot of what you say, Rory, but are you telling me that, you know, I think Argentina and England,

they're in the same boat, both sets of players and squads. And in the way that I think they'll be feeling themselves. about their performance levels this tournament. And you do want to have that feeling of control. That's the thing about Spain. They'll have that feeling. The other side of the draw, you know, at this moment in time, the winner will come from France or Spain unless something significantly changes.

Well, let's see, shall we? Because Nico O'Reilly joins us live from the England camp. Thank you very much for putting the headphones on. Nico. How are you? Are you fully recovered from Saturday? Yeah. just had a recovery day there

and had one yesterday, feeling all good and ready to go Wednesday. Tell us how hard it was that game physically, because I'm guessing you have never experienced anything like that before. Yeah, it was very tough.

I think it was the heat that just took out of us, drained us, and made us play a different kind of game than what we kind of wanted and expected. But yeah, we managed to get it over the line. The lads dug deep for 100, 20 minutes and yeah we got the win. Physically though, what do you feel like when you're in the middle of that?

And how different is that feeling to the previous one that you'd had at altitude? Because I'm guessing they're not the same when you're involved. Yeah, I think the Mexico game, I don't think the lads really felt it too much, the altitude. I think that was okay. Whereas the game just gone then in Miami, yeah, it was just so hot. hot. So yeah, we was looking forward

to the hydration breaks to get a bit of fluids on, cool down. And yeah, when it was turning into

a bit of a basketball game, that's when we was suffering the most. And that's when we had to kind of control the game

more, keep the ball in their half. And yeah, it was a tough game. How difficult is it to wrestle back control

when you can feel it getting into a basketball game like that? Yeah, it's tough, very tough. I think it's

where the leader is coming there and say, lads, look, listen, we need to control the game, get the ball ticking in. But again, we were chasing the game for a bit, so it's tough to control the game and try and get a goal. So it's just finding the right balance. Nico, a lot has been made about Thomas Tuchel's comments after the game and saying that there was more to come. How do the – I mean, were any of the players offended by his comments or, you know, what was that like as a group? Was that sort of water off a duck's back?

can, you know, because you feel that the team can play better and haven't at your level yet? Yeah, look, everyone can agree we can play better, but at the end of the day, it's tournament football, and we just need to get over the line, get the wins, and that's what we've done so far. But, yeah, we know we can play better. Hopefully it comes in this next game, but, yeah, no one's offended at all. Everyone has their own opinions, and, yeah, we have trust in the manager, belief in the manager and yeah he's doing a great job. Nico, given how hot it was and the kind of the draining effect of playing in that heat and

that humidity, how does that change your recovery? Has anything been different since that game to how it would be if you played at like a normal temperature? Yeah, there's been a few tweaks. There was a few players off pitch today. Just getting a few more extra massages, stretches. Because yeah, as you said, it was our first game where it went to extra time. So it was more demanding.

And yeah, we just need to do everything we can now to make sure we're 100% ready for Wednesday. What does playing Argentina mean to you? Bearing in mind, I don't think you were born, were you? The last time England paid Argentina in a competitive game? Yeah, no, I don't think I was, but it's a huge game. There's a lot of history behind it. And, yeah, we're fired up and we're ready to go.

Does that history, I don't mean, does it have any reds, relevance to you, but I look back on when people talk to me about football matches before I was born, and I'm like, well, I get the sort of historical significance, whether I feel it as much, I don't know. So when you're told about the hand of God, when you're told about

Beckham's kick, when you're told about Maradona's goal of the century, does it mean something to you, or are you thinking my God, that happened a long time ago, which it did? It does and it does it in a way. We're just going there. to play our game and win the game

but we know they're going to be fired up from it and yet they're very passionate about stuff like that South Americans so I think we need to match their passion and match their energy and go for them Are you looking forward to playing against Messi? I can't wait

I know, yeah, but you relish the challenge, I'm guessing yeah, so once in a lifetime opportunity yeah he's coming to a was the end of his career. For me personally, it's the best player to ever touch a football pitch. And, yeah, I can't wait for the challenge.

I know you've got to go. I'll let you go. We just one more. Before we did the FA Cup final, Nico, on the BBC, we had a great little piece that had your mum on it, and it had the guy that scouted you on it on your journey. And as you sit now, that journey didn't end at the FA Cup final. You're there with a World Cup semi-final for England against Argentina.

Does it sink in? I don't really have time to let things sink in as a mid-tournament, but I've come a long way, but yeah, I've still got a long way to go. And obviously the people there behind me support are me. It's so important. And yeah, I won't be here without them. So, yeah, a big thank you to them. Cheers, Nica.

Thank you for putting on the headphones. Appreciate it. Thank you, guys. Good luck. Thank you, guys. Nico Riley with us. On the Monday night club on Firelight, It just takes absolutely everything in his stride, Connor.

Even the fact that Chris was wanging on about the winners coming from the other half of the draweries, he put those edgefiger. Yeah. I mean, there's timing and there's timing. Yeah, and you know what? I loved that interview. I loved it. I loved it chappers, honestly.

I thought it was just, even when we're talking about kind of before he was born in the games, but then it just brushes it off and it's all about this and he can't wait to play against messy. And you can see it in his eyes. You can see how he sat, how laid back he is. this is kind of the generation of today as well, by the way. I think a lot of the generation, especially when you're as good as him as good as a fullback as he is, I think a lot of them are like that, and I love that. I thought it was brilliant, and I think it just fills all with confidence going into Wednesday.

I've inspired him, Mark. That may be the little kick up the backside the team need to lead him to the World Cup. That may be the moment. When the history books are written, people will say that that is the key moment, that Chris Sutton got persuaded Nico O'Reilly that Spain would want to win the World Cup. Go on, Rory, you're going to come in. I was going to say, is it like the rivalry thing is interesting because if you listen to the Argentine players,

Roderide de Powell and Stallone today are both kind of said, look, let's try and remember this is a football match, it's not a rerun of the Falklands. But if you listen to them, they really regard England as one of their great rivals because that's kind of in Argentine culture. For players who haven't ever seen England play, like not many of them can even remember that game in 2002

I wouldn't have thought there might be a couple Henderson might remember it I suppose But also that game in 2002 was Was not the greatest really It was on a 5 o'clock in the morning as well It was indoors in Sapporo It felt like it was being played in a leisure centre Because I was there

And ultraman I know is a lovely place But if your leisure centres look like that Then your chance of practice is taking off And in the one with a David Beckin penalty So that doesn't feel like the I mean, it's the previous two, isn't it? Yeah. Although that one is special to me because I was doing my university first year exams that year.

And it was on in the morning. It was obviously Japan career. The time difference meant that the games were in the morning. And they paused the exam to tell us that Beckham had scored, which is genuinely, a real failure of education. What sort of Mickey Mouse joint was that? I mean, believe me. Terrible business.

There wasn't a high-end uni, then. Was it a polytechnic? the polytechnist who's fine work Chris it wasn't it wasn't no chalmers has gone they did they stopped the exam halfway through the night just to let you know David Beckham has given England the lead

in its Argentina were you saying though Rory were you sort of suggesting I'm not trying to put words into your mouth and hinting it it's it seems a little bit different the other way the way the Argentina are viewing this than

the English perspective It means something else for Argentina Without a shadow of a doubt And I think that the main motivation Yeah, but I mean it is Every single song includes the line Peebiz de los Mavinas Every single one, the kids of the Falklands That is, and you can get into the history of that

And I've, you know, and kind of the geopolitics of it Are irrelevant, but that is what the Argentines think That is in every single song. The main motivation for the players, I think, And it's why they were so emotional against the team that you put an asterisk against Egypt for just being Egypt chappers. Obviously, you dismissed the entire nation there.

But I think they were emotional because they think it is their duty to get messy another world cup. That is the main motivating factor for Argentina here. That is what they are doing. That's the story they're telling themselves. But I think for the fans

and the players are clearly conscious of it, England play a role. The only way I can express it, I think, is that England think Argentina is a football rivalry. Argentina do not. thinking England is a football rivalry. I think it's something else. The other great thing about this tie is the fact that it is rare, that it isn't, you know, and there are several teams that it feels like England play an awful lot. Croatia, being one of them,

for example. But the fact that they have come up, they now do get Argentina at a World Cup feels momentous because it is such a rare fixture in world football. Yeah, they played them in 2005 in a friendly. the 132 in Geneva. And this is one of Mark Odden's friend of the show's pet subjects. They don't play them because it's a really edgy tie. It's not, if you invite Argentina to play in England, I mean, England would never be done play in South America,

which I think is maybe something they should do a bit more. But they won't go. There's not the commercial reasons to do it. If you play Argentina, you know it's a full-on kind of quite hostile derby. I think that is part of the reason they don't play each other in friendlies because it wouldn't be very friendly. So it does feel, it does have that rarity value. You're absolutely right.

And it gives it, I guess, a sense of momentousness. But it does, yeah, you're right, you're completely right, Chapas. It gives it that rarity value. But the flip side is that the fans don't often encounter each other. And this has been, and I would assume that all of your experiences have been the same as mine on this, that this has been an incredibly friendly World Cup. Like, the ticket pricing obviously is ridiculous, but there have been no issues at all with having fans mixed together in the stadiums because it is really friendly.

It is very family friendly. He's seen so many kids with those, you know, those headphones that babies wear. Yeah. There's loads of that. There's loads of that about. And I fundamentally don't think England, Argentina will be like that at all in Atlanta.

And there is, the FIFA, I think, to have said, they're not going to separate the stand. A vicious gang of hackers, causing chaos for businesses, councils and hospitals. What if I don't finish this treatment and his cancer grows? But they didn't care. I'm dying laughing.

Making out. They wanted millions. It was high tech and high stakes. The country is under attack. And it was highly secretive until someone exposed it all. Cyberhack, season four, The Conti Files. Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your BBC podcasts. Five light four.

My favourite World Cup moment, it's the first World Cup I properly remember watching. Argentina 78, the ticker tape, Mario Kempes, Ari Hahn's scoring goals. from miles out and always one of my favourite World Cup moments, Archie Gemmell's great goal for Scotland against the Dutch. What makes the World Cup such a special tournament is the atmosphere, the colour, it is a meeting of the nations and of people who love football.

The People World Cup 2026. Listen on BBC Sounds. At the People World Cup 20206, the Football Daily Podcasts. With Mark Chapman. Listen on BBC Sounds. Let's focus on actually what might happen on the pitch here, shall we? How many positions do you think are up for grabs?

Oh, blimey. I think the right side is interesting for England. You know, would it be Madoecki or Saka? I suspect Saka may get the starting birth in that. Now, Rees James is fit. That's the big one, really, though, with Reese James being fit a natural right back, does he move Conza inside alongside Gayhee,

which I think we would have all agreed at the start of the tournament would have been the preferred partnership. But John Stones has, he surprised me. Maybe, you know, that says a lot about me. But the level of his performance at this World Cup and the leadership which he's brought to that back line, that's not an easy, easy decision for Thomas Tuchel that.

Well, let's say you played Stones and Gay and then what you do with concert, do you play concert at right back? But then if you play concert at right back, and there seems to be a growing kind of noise around maybe trying Morgan Rogers on the right for just a bit of power and verve and a bit of freshness, I suppose. But I suppose, Connor, if you then play Morgan Rogers on the right, he'll want to come inside, so you'll need a bit more from your fullback, won't you, if that's what you do?

It goes back to it, and I know this feels like a theme when talking about England and in all our buildups. So, I know it's the case with a loss of football, but so many of the pieces are interlocking, and it depends who you want to start with by how you fit the others in, when it comes to the wide positions in particular. No, 100%.

And I think that's what's been so good about the tournament and Tom and Tugel, that he can mix up and he can change. We seem to the substitute the other night when players are coming on. It's not like-for-like plays are changing and they're going into different positions. But I just think with how England have played in the tournament, I don't think EV is away too much.

the one thing you can't do it you can't do at this moment of time is affect Jude Bellingham. You can't affect Jude Bellingham. You need him doing what he's doing every single game. So if Morgan Rogers, who I think is a wonderful footballer by the way,

then goes and plays on the right and we have him coming inside and then you're moving Jude over a little bit to now and play with two tens. You're then affecting Jude Bellingham. You need Duke Bellingham to have the free role that he's at because he plays football

like a street football. He's unbelievable in terms of what he does. So the one thing we don't want to knock is the effect Jude Bellingham has on this team because we need him for two games. That's what it is. We need him for two games. games to go and win this tournament for us with Harry Kay and that's as simple as that.

So I think he lays structure down Thomas Tuchel in terms of the whole tournament with his wingers. So whether it's Maddo Wecki or Saka, whether it's Gordon or Rashford, there his wingers. They're the four wings that I think we're going to see. I think Gordon will play and I think Sackle will play on the other side. I think changing kind of the style of play to attend being wide to come inside then becomes tough and it affects too many other positions on the pitch for me. And it's coming inside into bodies.

I mean, you know, everything. which I've seen of Argentina, you target their weak areas and their weak areas are in the fullback areas. And Doyle absolutely destroyed Molina. You know, you might make a change. I think Montiel can play right back. But you look at the left-hand side as well.

And football often comes down to jewels. And we have better wingers than they have fullbacks. So I think it's a case of simplifying it. 1V-1s and get the ball out wide and let them do the things. I think in that central area it's going to be so congested Parades plays at the just in front of the back four

and sort of tries to sort of knit things together but sort of cleans things up in that midfield area but are so tight and congested in there where Jude Bellingham may not get the space which he has done in other games.

Yeah I think that's absolutely right and I wonder whether it doesn't strike me as being the obvious time to start switching about your tactics and getting Morden Rogers out wide when you're in a World Cup semi-final. I think the choice is kind of is, is Saka who came on at half-time he didn't he? Yes. Yes. Yeah. Or was it later on? No. Half-time. It was half-time. So he did 45 minutes he didn'ts Norway. That would imply that he's getting closer and closer to something

resembling full fitness. So is, do you do Saka for an hour, then bring Madaweke on? Or do you basically flip it and do Madaweke to try and wear Tali Fico down and then bring Sacker on to do the damage? Is it just fitness with Saka? Or is it, is it a, is it, a, is it, I mean, I don't understand this one because he's been fit for a while now, hasn't he? So how long? I mean, is it fatigue from the season? I don't, I honestly don't know.

But there does seem something not quite right there where you think we're going to have to keep nursing him along. Well, Tuttle obviously feels he's not fully, because I think Conn is completely right, if Sacher is fully absolutely 100% fit, he starts every game, surely. There's no disrespect to Nomi Mena Mewke, but Sacker is ahead of him for Arsenal

and he's heading him for inland. So I think you can make a case that you start Sacker and say, if you can do an hour, do an hour. Or you could say, well, actually we'll use you as a finisher, as Ateta would say. And Madaweke can try and soften up Tali Fico first, which is not exactly, you know, only Madueke is not a bad option to have to do that. And then you bring Sacker on to kind of conclude the game effectively.

But I think that is a question. What do we think is the situation with Declan Rice? Because he hasn't looked perfectly fit throughout the tournament either. isn't the report that you know he had stomach virus after after Mexico and therefore Ian Dennis has had a bad stomach

I don't want to know by that I really really don't want to know about that Chris that would tip me over the edge to be honest it would be that he had a stomach bug and was in bed for

I don't know the majority of the time in between Mexico and Norway I think that seems to be the view from that. And the other thing with Sakha is, it seems like he could start but not finish or not start and finish, Connor.

That seems to be how he's being used. Yes, it does. And I actually think he's been managed really well. He's obviously got some sort of issue, hasn't it? There's obviously something there because I'll go back to Rory mentioned it again about if he was fit. But I actually think he's been managed really well.

I think he's managed the whole situation of plays who are coming in after a long scene. We forget it's after a long Premier League season. Them two boys, Declan Rice and Bakayo Sacka, have had the seasons of the last. by the way. So he's had to manage them and he's managed him through the tournament into a semi-final. Now, if we see Saka

go and start on Wednesday night score the winner or score a goal or get an assist or something like that and then he goes into the final he's been managed unbelievably well by Thomas Tuchel so I think he's gone about it the whole right way. Did we want to see Bacaa more? Of course we did because he's a world-class footballer but at the same time how he's managed his substitutions, how he's managed players coming in

we can talk about Madduehueh who wants. He's gone in there and done a job and he's been part of England getting to a semi-final of a world cup. So I think the way they've all been managed been really, really good. You know, with Declan Rice, Declan Rice is the key to England beating Argentina, in my opinion. And also what's key from him,

and we know he can do that. But he has to be so, so disciplined because Messi is the key for Argentina getting on the ball. And, you know, I think Thomas Tuchel will play with two sixes, but he needs eyes in the back of his head. And he just should not move.

That's really looks to pick the ball up. And I think when they made the substitution, and Messi went out wide right, but he still does what he wants. But that's the key to stopping Argentina. It's stopping Messi, and that's what Rice has to do. As the current footballer, Connor,

when you saw the second half and into extra time and the substitutions that were made and all the little tactical changes that were made, is that quite not simple to take on board if you're on the field, but is that all part and parcel of the process of preparing in for a game or can it become too complicated? And I asked that because Hamza Khalid Loonat, who writes really good tactical stuff in the

Times, was saying that Elliot Anderson had played in four different positions in that performance for England. And Thomas Tuchel's quotes on Bellingham sound really complicated to me. So I know this is a very long-winded question, but I'll just read the quotes and then you can answer it. So Tuchel said, Jude started on the right side number 10 when we did the. the changes. At half time, we put him in the left number eight. So more of a number eight or number ten that has some meters deeper in the field. That wasn't ideal for us because I want him as high as

possible. So then we put Reese James in at number six. That freed up at Elliot Anderson back as the number eight and Jude back on the right number 10. When we brought Morgan Rogers on because we needed Reese as a right defender, we then put Elliot back as the number six and Rogers at the number eight and defensively is a double six. Yeah, that sounds really long-winded, but the big thing I take from that is that the positions aren't changing, the players are changing, but the positions aren't changing.

If you know what I mean, so you just mentioned their left six, a left eight, sorry, a right ten, a number six. That has never changed, so whether it's Elliot Anderson and the six, Elliot Anderson and left eight, Jude Bellingham in the right ten. The positions aren't changing, the players are. And it sounds complicated what you're saying, but when you have players as good as these boys, they can go and do it.

And I can tell you now, for a fact, they'll be working on it every single day in training. So Thomas Tuchel will be telling players where he believes they'll come on, where he believes they'll play, where he needs to be if he moves him. So we just mentioned there about Jude Bellingham. He needs him as high up the pitch as you can. So his 10 position is on the right-hand side of the pitch. He's eight positions.

The left-hand side of the pitch. He's six is obviously in front of that. So that was the biggest thing I took from that. Also, the other thing I love from Thomas Tuchel is, and what it shows to his whole squad is he trusts his squad. He trusts every single player within that group. Now, you can mention a couple of lads who haven't played, and obviously Cobby Manny who hasn't come on

a couple of lads who haven't played, but we see Big Dan Bairn coming on to see out games now. We see players being used in different roles because he trusts them in that roles. So it can become complicated if the players aren't as good as them for me. What's the difference between a six and eight and a ten, though? It's just ten yards, isn't it?

But they are different. You know they're different. There's a big difference. He's just being difficult, Conner. They are. I'm not being difficult, but I do think sometimes we sort of, you know, go over the top with this sort of stuff.

you know, if Rees James comes on and he wants him to play in that in that role in front of the back for and he moves Elliot Anderson up one, you know, that's all the instruction is. And, you know, it's, you know, players, these players are top international points. What role in front of the back for? Well, he plays like as a pivot number six, uh, Reese Jack. Oh, there you go, you've just said it.

Yeah, I know, well, I know, the difference is, well, stop celebrating, you fool. But that's the whole point. You know, I just said it. You just said it. I asked you what role he played it and you went the six. I'm tired. Can I go?

I mentioned earlier that the Tudor's substitutions trying to meet him with everyone's approval. I thought he confused things a bit with his substitutions against Norway and then spent quite a lot of the game figuring out problems of his own making. It would be my honest feedback. It did feel confusing.

I have to, like at times, Connor, I know you're saying the role is the same, but the personnel changed. But it did feel like it muddled it at times. And they did go through period. That did go through a period in the second half where they were really under the cash. And you did wonder how much the shifting of the pieces would have contributed to that. Yeah, I know what you mean. But at the same time, we're all talking about kind of the game being flat at times and England can play better or England can do things better. He's trying to make a change. He's trying to make things better. we could sit in and he doesn't make a change

and we go he's not made a change but then when he does try and make a change we go over we're complicating it so let's pick one so I'd rather sit there

and go God the England might have been a right go away and he's making change and Reese James coming on there and it might complicate it it might become a bit common

but then players will understand the roles going on in my opinion that's where it stands in my opinion but Conner if we didn't criticising whatever he did

I wouldn't do it to our radio show I don't get involved in the criticising do you know there's a big thing being made at the moment that England haven't had a player who's scored in this tournament who's played in the Premier League this season. But the interesting thing, Rory, when you look at Kane and Bellingham, actually, is that

the number of minutes they have played this season, they are not in the top five or six. Harry Kane has played the eighth most minutes of any England player at this tournament. And Jude Bellingham, who's had a couple of injury problems, is down on at 19th. So why? Because I wrote a piece about that on Sunday and I didn't spot that. That's really irritating, thanks. Okay. Sorry about it.

Yeah, no. I think it is really interesting. That hadn't occurred to me. But yeah, there has always been a logic that the grind of the Premier League does work against England in major tournaments. In fact, I think that even predates the existence of the Premier League, the sense that English football is spit and sawdust, you know, blood and bullets, all that stuff. that by the time every next to the summer they're exhausted whereas if you play... How do you measure that, though?

You can't measure that. You can in terms of minutes played. Well, it depends how far you go. Who wins at the level of the player? High intensity sprints. So... Are you quibble with the idea that you would get time? So how many games he played for Arsenal this season?

Lots. Yeah, there you go. So he's played a lot of games. It's a mentality thing. So the point that I made, that I now regret in my piece is that I think that the fact that Belliams at Real, that Trent's at Real, that Rashford and Gordon are,

you know, at Barcelona for given value at Barcelona and that Keynes at Bayern is kind of, that's a sign to me that all those major clubs have kind of recognized that the Premier League is the gold standard, that they want a little bit of Premier League in the way they play, because if you can't beat them, you join them. But you're right that there might be a physical benefit as well,

that those players are not having to grind out and not having to spend third, 38 weeks of a year pushing other people at corners which is what English football is now that is probably an advantage You can't say as a gold standard when the gold standard is the team which wins the Champions League

But they benefit Chris in the run as the Champions League final we said that PSG benefited because Dan Balli had only played 14 games in the league and Trachtschelia was something was a little bit higher than that It's such an excuse

The Premier League has the most money that you make excuses every way for the Premier League If you get, Conner, you have been in the, you have been in the squads, Connor, at tournaments. If you have had a slightly less arduous season, that can only benefit. Yes, Declan Rice, who's right up there near some, near the most minutes, as is Elliot Anderson, as is Ezri Konzer. Look, Concer and Rice both won trophies this season. You can look at it that way.

You're winning trophies. You're playing all the games. Yes, you arrive with the buzz, but you're also arriving, having had a very long, hard season. You can make a case either way, but if you're a bit fresher, that surely has to help. 100%. 100%. And I think I'm not siding with anybody, but I think I understand what Rory's saying in terms of it. Obviously, the other major leagues as well get winter breaks, don't they?

In terms of they get time off at Christmas and they're getting the bits going on there. So they miss a couple of weeks. So it does make a difference because the Premier League, for me, did you say the D'embellier pay 14 league games? I'm sure that the start was that D'embley started 14 league games. Wow, I didn't know that. That's a crazy stat considering he plays for PSG. Premier League teams can, you know, they can tailor the team. You know, that's down to the manager, that, isn't it?

I mean, it's... I don't tailor it, though. Did they go and win the Premier League? Yeah, but they can do. We can't, you know, we can't feel sorry for Premier League players. They choose to play. No, no, it's not feeling sorry because I think every player would say at some points in the career they want to play in the Premier League.

Of course, it's the greatest league in the world. But it does come with them, with them situations, that you hit a tournament at the end of it. And it's totally different to other European leagues because of the less games, the breaks that they have in the mid-season, they get looked after in that point as well. I just think psychologically, I mean, psychology-wise, I wouldn't like any you three talking to the England players

if you're telling them they're all tired all the time. Oh, all of a sudden now, you've got, you... I'm just telling you, just leave that, push that to the side. Because you welcome Nico Riley with Frantle or Spain are going to win the World Cup, you now feel you've got the psychological advantage, do you? Well, that was disappointing from me that was. But are you still on LinkedIn as a motivational speaker?

I am. Are you? Don't just wonder to let that. I'm not. I'll let that sink in. That's it. Live commentary of both World Cup semifinals this week on 5 Live, France against Spain on Tuesday night from 8.

England against Argentina, Wednesday night from 8. Kelly will have all the buildup, both nights from 7 o'clock. The 2023 Ballandor, France footballer is Leonel Messi. The winner is Chrysena Ronald. This is the story of the greatest rivalry in the history of sport, a rivalry that split football into two fates for a generation.

There could be no, oh, Messi and Ronaldo, are both great players. There had to be one that was better. They 100 million percent pushed each other to the next level. You know, we were the lucky ones who got to see it. I'm Steve Crosman. This is Sporting Giants, Messi v. Ronaldo. Listen first on BBC Sounds.

Games with us. A vicious gang of hackers, causing chaos for businesses, councils and hospitals. What if I don't finish this treatment and his cancer grows? But they didn't care. I'm dying laughing. Making outrageous demands for money. It was high tech and high stakes. The country is under attack.

And it was highly secretive until someone exposed it all. Cyberhack, season four, The Conti Files. Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your BBC podcasts.