Football Daily - World Cup: Tuchel, Konsa, Guéhi & Stones Ahead Of Argentina

Episode Date: July 15, 2026

England manager Thomas Tuchel, along with players Ezri Konsa, Marc Guéhi and John Stones, speak to John Murray ahead of England’s World Cup semi-final against Argentina. They discuss how England can exploit Argentina’s weaknesses while also dealing with the threat posed by Lionel Messi.John is joined by former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson to assess how England are likely to set up and whether they have what it takes to overcome the reigning world champions.2’18 - Start of Thomas Tuchel interview 2’38 - Tuchel on player availability & how they’ll get at Argentina 4’30 - Tuchel on Argentina bringing the best out in England 6’03 - How does Tuchel deal with pressure? 8’33 - Ezri Konsa interview 10’28 - Paul Robinson on who will play at right back 12’11 - Marc Guehi interview 13’16 - Guehi on the challenge of Messi & how much Guardiola referenced him 14’50 - John Stones on his journey for England at World Cups 17’40 - Stones on what he can take from winning the last two Euro’s semi-finals 20’08 - Paul Robinson on forward options 21’48 - Will Declan Rice play?

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2.50. Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts. At the People World Cup 2026, the Football Daily Podcast. Listen on BBC Sounds. Hello, I'm John Murray, and this five-life football daily podcast comes from Atlanta, Georgia, on the eve of England's World Cup semi-final against the defending champions, Argentina. It is the first meeting between England and Argentina for 21 years in. as senior men's international.

The first time Leonel Messi will play against England. I can tell you that Argentina and England fans are flooding into Atlanta. In fact, a few of them have just walked through the door, just close to where I'm sitting here. And of course, this match

will decide who will face Spain in Sunday's World Cup Final in New Jersey. You can watch it on BBC 1 or on any of the various BBC platforms. You can also listen to the live commentary with the BBC TV pictures

all synced up via the red button or the eye player which is proving to be a popular option they tell me and with me for that commentary

again will be Paul Robinson England World Cup goalkeeper who played in that England Argentina match in 2005 which was a friendly

in Geneva but whenever England and Argentina play it's a big deal and this is as big as any of the matches that they've played Paul I was going to say

I don't pick you up on a lot of things, but there's no such thing as a friendly between England and Argentina. I think the World Cup semi-final, obviously, it has its own magnitude, but actually the rivalry between England and Argentina, it just adds to the occasion. This is the one we wanted. I mean, we both sat together, didn't we watch the Argentina quarter-final? And we kind of wanted them to go through because we wanted this spectacle.

From an England point of view, this is brilliant. It's the first time in World Cup history that the top four seeds I've actually got to the semifinals, all of them. The France-Span game that we saw was excellent. It was a result that I didn't expect, and I'm hoping for similar for England against Argentina. Right, we are going to hear from Thomas Tuchel, Esri Konza, Mark Gaye and John Stones,

a bumper set of interviews before this match. And let's start with the manager with his thoughts on the eve of the big match. I try to take it all in. Not a lot of time to really, enjoy and reflect but maybe a little bit at dinner because it's a big football match on a big occasion and yeah we want to take the next step and how is everyone decklin rice first and foremost I suppose deklin is in training I still need to double check with him how he feels but he's ready to start of course and then we will go from where the match takes him

It's of course in more agreeable conditions for him. Everyone else is available except for Jordan Henderson and Cheryl Conzer. So how are you going to get at Argentina? Well, I think I expect an emotional game. I expect a physical game. The conditions will be brilliant. And so we will try to make it to make it and to accept the physicality of it. And yeah, that's basically it.

We will be asked a lot of questions, so they are a complete team, since many years together with a coach. They have the experience of several tournaments together. You can see that. Like I said, I think we can match the intensity, maybe even put our intensity on top of them. And then it will be a match of moments and momentum. I expect several momentum swings to be able to be. honest, they are very, very strong in possession, very strong in the last third of the match with a lot of players inside. And of course, Messi, who finds always solutions where no one else

finds them. But we have also our weapons to hurt them. So we need to dig in, we need to stay focused and need a complete performance over the whole 90-plus minutes. Strangely, are they the kind of opponents that you might actually get that, you might actually get that performance that you've been looking for against? I think so. I think so. I think it will bring the best out of us because it is this kind of a fixture

where you play all in, in itself and it's the excitement. This is just there because it's the occasion, but it's also like the fixture against Argentina. Yeah, I'm hoping for that. I see the excitement. I see a switch in energy again in our group. We reach the next level.

I see players excited. I'm very glad because I see them very hungry. I like the energy. So the hunger to play this match, the excitement to play this match is on highest level, and this is how it should be. And you know the history, of course. So that means surely this has to be one for calm heads, yeah?

If possible, but I think that's a lot to ask. I'm not so sure if we see a lot of calm heads, me included. tomorrow but that would be ideal to play with a calm head and and and and and and and and and and I think it will be emotional everything else would really surprise me and it will be it's just what both teams bring bring to the table they are an emotional and and very supportive group in within themselves we are as well very competitive they have the edge we have the edge. We are proven in several battles now through this tournament and this is of course a big

one and we're up for it. Well, England will be with you. Good. Thank you. Thanks, Thomas. Good luck. Thomas Tuchel there, the England manager, who was also telling us, he was asked in the media conference about how he's been dealing with all of the pressure and the attention. And he said that he does his morning sport, he goes on a bike and he sometimes ends up having an ice cream in a car park and he said it makes him feel like a child again

it helps him reconnect to the feeling that we all have inside about the World Cup which I thought was a great little insight about him just taking a bit of time away when he can. Sounds like one of our mornings together John but it's very intense in a tournament

and as a player and the coaching staff and obviously the manager you're forced into an environment in a hotel to be with people who you would not necessarily choose to spend that amount of time with. And you have to have your own time and you have to have your down time. And I thought it was very interesting one of Thomas Tuchel's post-match interviews when he said, I'm doing nothing tomorrow, I'm taking the whole day off, I'm not watching football, I'm not looking at football, we're not analysing anything,

and he took the day off. And actually, in life, you do need that. And I think the quality that he showed with his management skills over the last 12 months and in this tournament were getting the we'll get the rewards from it. So Thomas Tuchel, we also heard from Leonel Scaloney today

and of course, you know, this fixture has such a long history of antagonism. We know about the hand of God match in 1986 at the World Cup, but so many of them. And of course in 86 as well,

feelings were still running high following the Falklands War between the UK and Argentina, which had taken place four years earlier. And that's not gone away. Lionel Scaloni was asked about the relevance of that to this match. And he said, he said, it happened a long time ago. He said, of course, we remember the people who were lost in that war.

He said it was a sad time, but he said, this is a football match, and the players don't have the relevance to it. So that from Lionel Scaloney, back to the England players, and we're going to hear next from Esri Konzer who has started all of the matches here he's filled in right wing back he's played at right back and most of the time in central defence

and well we will find out tomorrow where he's going to play in this match which we assume he is but this is what he had to say I was reminded earlier that eight years ago I was in League 1 playing a playoff semi-final and fast forward to now I'm here in a World Cup semi-final so yeah surreal

but yeah very proud of myself and what I've been able to achieve over the years and you know very blessed and yeah hopefully tomorrow we can we can get it overland to top it off are you are you a guy who feels nerves before a match um sometimes not really but uh yeah i think having nerves is it's a good thing depending on who you are you know everyone each to the row and everyone's different um you know but for me, I think having nerves is always a good thing. You know, I think being nervous, I think it makes me concentrate a bit more than if I was to be too relaxed.

Yeah, nervous, nerves, yeah, but it's all good. How have you caught with the different challenges that have been asked of you here, whether it's in, well, you've had, I think, three different positions now, isn't it? Yeah, I've caught really well. I'm a player that's played in numerous positions over my career, so, you know, I've always said wherever

the boss wants to put me, I'll always go and do my best and do a job to help the team and you know I did that against Norway and you know if if I have to do it again I'll be more than happy to do it and just give us an assessment of the of the threats that Argentina have whether it's Alvarez whether it's Messe Enzo Fernandez Lautoro Martinez the different challenges that they will pose yeah I think everyone knows the qualities that Argentina have the talent they have on the pitch but you know I also think our quality and our talent, what we have on the pitch is even better. So, you know, I think tomorrow, like I said, we have to go out there and show what we're capable of,

you know, and stick to our game plan and I'm sure we'll do just fine. So Esri Konzer, Paul Robinson, is your feeling that he will play it right back again? I do think he'll play it right back, although Rees James came on in the number six role in midfield. But that's one to look out for because Conza is a player that, Thomas Tuchel trusts very much. We'll talk all the time in the tournament about the spine of the team that he's got Jordan Pickford and

Conza is the one in front of him that's been the constant, whether it's at right back or whether it's at centre half, then there's Rice, then there's Anderson, Bellicum, Kane, and you look at that, that's been the only consistent through the tournament and Conza's a player that he does like and he relies on him, whether it be at right

back or at centre half. The only thing that I would question is Reese James, like we said, he came on in the last game. If he's fit and available, it'd be very hard for Thomas Tuckel not to play him at right back. And if he plays at right back, who does Thomas Tuchel leave out in the centreback partnership? Because both Gey and Stones were and have been excellent. So that's the decision he's got to make. And he's got to – there's three positions in the team for me, right back and the two wingers,

that will be up for contention, if you like. But I would think that it would play Consa at right back and Stones and Gay as a central defensive partnership because they do have to be defensively aware because this Argentina side are very, very good going forward. Well, I don't know if it was a clue because we did get to speak to Conzat, Gaye and Stones today. So whether that indicates that all three will be starting.

But it is Mark Gaye. We're going to hear from next, the Manchester City Central Defender, who spoke to us about the prospect of playing against Argentina in a World Cup semi-final. The storylines all set up, isn't it? So, yeah, it's exciting. It's exciting not just for everyone back home, but for us as well.

And all I can say is everyone's looking forward to it. How is everyone after the exertions of playing in that heat in Miami? Everyone's good. Everyone's super good. We've stepped up recovery. Made sure everyone's in the best conditions to possibly be. try and make history again, so yeah, see what happens. You've obviously experienced of being at the latter end of tournament.

You know, when it gets this far into a tournament and there'll be eight matches to play here, how do you manage yourself at this stage? You could argue that you could manage yourself and there's times where you just have to go for it. And I think in moments like this, I think it's important that, you know, you find the balance between the two

when you can manage yourself and when it's time to go for, it so, you know, I think this team has enough know-how and experience to do that in these moments. In the quarter-final final and into the semi-finally are going from Erling Harland to Lionel Messi. The challenge of playing against Lionel Messi? I mean, it's a completely different challenge, but equally as exciting. Arguably one of the best players that ever played football. So, you know, I'm excited to play in this game, to play against him and the rest of Argentina, obviously. But we've got great players ourselves.

so, you know, we'll be dangerous ourselves. How often does Pep Guardiola reference Messi? In the six months I was there, quite a few times, to be honest. In what setting? Just his mentality, his mentality, you know, for someone his age to be, you know, still at a World Cup and still doing the things that he's doing. So you just take things like that from his game and try and implement it in this game. And I think as a team, we've shown that a lot

and hopefully we can carry on showing that. And I mean, it is the ultimate challenge, isn't it, to take on the world champions? Yeah, it's the ultimate challenge. It's not, I'd say, it's not the final challenge, we hope. But it's a big one and one that everyone's really looking forward to, one that everyone's prepared for, and, you know, hopefully things go our way. So that from Mark Gaye, and also John Stones,

who is leaving Manchester City, this summer has obviously played alongside Mark Gay for Manchester City during the course of this season and John Stones who's been involved in all three of the semi-finals that England have played in recent seasons and I asked him to reflect on them. My first World Cup a totally different scenario to what we're in right now. We were in such a different place as a nation, how we were viewed as a national team. And we probably were not given much chance going into that tournament, maybe rightly so, from previous tournaments.

Yeah, and we wanted to change that. And one of the things I'm so proud about that tournament in particular was obviously getting to a semi-final. but how we played throughout that a lot of records that we broke and how we brought the love back to English football and how the whole country got behind us and then yeah the next one in Qatar

again he's such a great tournament in how we how we started, I really believed that we could go all the way in that and find margins within that quarter-final game that were cruel to us and, you know, that's football. But again, I would not have said or seen it as a backward step from the previous one. And then, yeah, to here we are now in America. I'm about to face it. Argentina my first time facing those in another semi-final. A totally different pathway, if you want to put it that way, to get to this point.

With a tough first game, with a lot of excitement, a lot of grit, some difficult games, slower games that were harder to break down, the Azteca. And then, yeah, the other day where we were, we've all received. I respect probably going into that game, the favourites against the team that would deserve to be there and had some incredible quality that was a difficult game. A lot of controversy within that, I suppose. And yeah, here we are talking before another semi-final, I'm extremely proud of to say that, to be a part of it, to give everyone back. home, that belief, the memories, and it's about this time going one step further

and, yeah, try not to get ahead of ourselves. And what will you take from... Yeah, yeah, I have very good. What will you take from the fact that you have won the last two semi-finals that you've played with England, albeit at the Euros, obviously Denmark, and then that performance against Netherlands two years ago? I mean, it's been some run and one that's...

given us a lot of experience. You have to go through those tough moments, those experiences to know what to do in different scenarios and it's been a great path to get

to where we are now. I feel we're in a lot comfortable state, a lot more comfortable state, sorry, more experienced, more ready. And the biggest thing is the belief for everyone who's within our circle and I'm sure back home believes that we can go and do this.

That doesn't mean that these are an incredible team. They're obviously coming off the last World Cup as champions and yeah, we know what we're in for and it's exciting to have this challenge in front of us. And the whole time that you've been involved in the England setup, Gara Southgate used to talk about it a lot, doing things that have never been done before. And that's exactly what you've got here, isn't it, the chance to win a semi-final on foreign soil.

The England men's team have never done that before. Exactly, yeah. You've put it in a different way to what I was thinking, but I think the message, or the messages that Gareth started and took through his time, as manager were principles and things that were so clear and at the forefront of our head that we can go out and do those things

and tomorrow is another stage for us to go and better ourselves, play even better football. You know, we, after the last game, felt that we've still got more to give, which is exciting in my eyes. Go out and be ourselves. go out there and do everyone proud. And yeah, like you said, we've won the last two semifinals as a team. It doesn't matter what competition that's in.

And that's confidence in itself. So John Stone's there. What about further forward, Paul? What do you think we're going to see? I mean, there are a lot of options. And I know speaking to colleagues today, there was thought that Morgan Rogers might get a place in the starting lineup. There was even talk that Marcus Rashford might come in on the left, play Gordon on the right,

or there is the option, obviously, of Madweke and Saka. But I think that's the interesting area, isn't it? Who's going to play on the right going forward? I did have a look at our BBC website today, and your start in 11 for England. And you had Morgan Rogers in there, didn't you, on the right-hand side? I think if he plays on the right-hand side, you'd be interested to see how he migrates in-field, if you like, because him and Jude Belling would generally tend to take up the same kind of spaces. He's not an out-and-out winger.

But that's the one area or the two areas that Thomas Tuchel, he's chopped and changed throughout the whole tournament. You look at the wide players. Marcus Rashford, we didn't see him in the last game. Didn't come off the bench when he made the attacking changes that he made, wondered why we didn't see Marcus Rashford. Is he fully fit? Saka, is he fully fit? I thought he was excellent in fits and starts in the Norway game,

but he wasn't active the whole time. that he was on the field. He changed both wide players at half time for whatever reason it was. But a tactic that England used is Harry Kane dropping deep into that number 10 roll, and then the wide players getting very wide and extremely high in behind Harry Kane. And the long crossfield ball to Madowecki was used a lot in the first half. And that's clearly a tactic that England use. But I don't think there's a relationship growing between the fullbacks and the wide players because it's been changed so often.

And are you fully expecting Declan Rice to start this? you know that he'd obviously struggled with the illness that he had and then playing in the heat of Miami? John, he has to play. I mean, if he's 90% fit, if he's 85% fit, he has to play. This is not a game where the manager can rest players because of a potential final. This is a game that England have to win.

It's a massive game. And Declan Rice is a huge part of the team. He's very, very important to what they do. We know Thomas Tuchel's system. He'll play that 4-2-3-1. And Elliot Anderson and Declan Rice have become absolutely paramount. to what England do. Declan Rice both defensively, offensively and with set players as well,

he is very, very much a figurehead in the England team. If he's anywhere near fit, he has to risk him. But it is a tremendous prospect. I mean, as I say, you've played in these. I've never commentated on England against Argentina. I can't wait. Have you got a gut feeling? Yeah, we're going to do this. Without a doubt, we're going to do this. Because we did the Argentina-Egypt game, didn't we? We saw Argentina that were 2-0 down after 79 minutes, and if it wasn't for that little genius called Messi, they would have been out of this World Cup by now, and England would have been playing Switzerland. So I've just got a really strong feeling that England, I worry what Miami has taken out of them because of the heat and the fatigue,

but let's not forget that Cape Verde took Argentina to a two-hour game. They had extra time in their last game as well, and they're an aging squad. I think 17, of their players were in the last 20-22 Qatar World Cup. So I think this is a game that England can win. Spain are going to be a difficult proposition in the final if we get there without being presumptuous. But I've got a really good feeling. Paul Robinson, thank you very much. Look forward to sitting alongside you in the stadium in Atlanta.

So the World Cup semi-final, England against Argentina. Watch it on BBC 1. Listen with us on 5 Live or via BBC Sound. It's an 8pm kickoff BST in the UK and it's a match that has a monumental feel to it and could well be another gripping, dramatic night with England involved at this World Cup. The 2023 Ballandor, France footballer is Lionel Messi.

The winner is Chrisan arrival. 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 Crossman. This is Sporting Giants, Messi v. Ronaldo. Listen first on BBC Sounds. The United States is about to mark its 250th anniversary. And so on the Global Story podcast from the BBC, we're telling surprising tales of American influence on the world stage and in ordinary people's lives all across the globe. We have this ability to export our story and a lot of people have bought it. I feel like the American dream is alive but not well.

From the BBC, it's the United States at 250. Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.