Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images
Are you over the World Cup yet?
If you're not English, have you stopped laughing now?
In my last article for this website, thinking about our champions' parade, I wondered what the country might look like if England could, you know, win the World Cup.
Of course, we never got to find out, as Thomas Tuchel and his players undertook a collective soiling of the sheets in their semi-final against Argentina, the nature of which must have made even Gareth Southgate shudder.

#hales #getty #tuchel

Inter Milan have reached an agreement to sign England international Djed Spence from Tottenham Hotspur.
According to transfer reporter Fabrizio Romano, the Serie A champions will pay £26.5 million for the versatile full-back.
Spence has an agreement in place on personal terms with the Nerazzurri.
He has been signed after an impressive FIFA World Cup campaign, where he was one of England's best performers at the tournament.
Spence showcased his versatility, featuring in both full-back positions for Thomas Tuchel's side.

#Inter #Milan #england #TOTTENHAM

Newcastle United's new head coach Matthias Jaissle says he will look to maintain his "connection" with England manager Thomas Tuchel.
Jaissle described his compatriot as a "special coach" and made clear that he will seek to use the advantages of that relationship as he prepares to tackle the Premier League.
Tuchel, who was Jaissle's coach at Stuttgart, won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021, and finished runner-up in both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup with the Blues.
As a result of his impressive CV, he was then appointed as England manager in 2025, following a spell at Bayern Munich.
England boss Thomas Tuchel (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

#thomas

Liverpool's search for defensive reinforcements continues to gather pace, and Djed Spence is increasingly becoming a name that refuses to disappear from the conversation. The Tottenham full back enjoyed an impressive campaign before enhancing his reputation on the international stage, leaving Liverpool with another important decision as Andoni Iraola reshapes his squad.
Recruitment rarely revolves around one outstanding tournament. Clubs invest months, sometimes years, in building profiles on players before deciding whether circumstances make a move worthwhile. In Spence's case, there appears to be enough evidence across club and international football to justify serious consideration.
Liverpool's interest in Djed Spence makes sense for several reasons. His ability to operate comfortably on either flank offers valuable flexibility, something every elite squad now prioritises across a demanding campaign.
Last season, Spence featured 23 times in the Premier League for Tottenham and added another eight appearances in the Champions League. More importantly, he demonstrated that he could adapt to different tactical demands while maintaining his athleticism and defensive discipline.
His performances earned him an England call up for the 2026 World Cup under Thomas Tuchel, an opportunity that further underlined how far his stock has risen.

#spence #TOTTENHAM #campaign #Liverpool

The Argentine Football ***** ociation has announced 15 July will be 'National Football Teams Day' to mark Argentina's 2026 World Cup semi-final victory over England on that date.
Bidding for their first World Cup final since 1966, England took the lead in a tense affair in Atlanta through a 55th-minute Anthony Gordon finish.
But with Thomas Tuchel's side sitting deep, Argentina struck in the 85th and 92nd minutes to break English hearts and claim a 2-1 win.
The victory came 40 years after Argentina's previous big World Cup win over England in the controversial quarter-final victory at the 1986 tournament.
After Argentina's latest win the political tensions surrounding the fixture were fuelled as some of their players celebrated while holding a banner reading "Las Malvinas son Argentinas", which translates as "The Falklands are Argentine".

#england #final #Football #teams

An England fan who prematurely crowned England as World Cup winners in a tattoo has had his new artwork amended.
Sean Carrington spent £550 on a leg tattoo of the World Cup trophy above the words "England World Cup Winner 2026" after The Three Lions' 2-1 win over DR Congo in the round of 32.
The 36-year-old was so convinced Thomas Tuchel's side would go all the way before Argentina prematurely ended England's chances of World Cup glory in a 2-1 defeat.
Now the roofer has returned to Holy Trinity Tattoo Studio in Standish to add "Just joking" underneath.
Following his second trip to the tattoo parlour, he told the BBC: "I'm more bothered that England hasn't won the World Cup than I am to have a tattoo on my leg".

#england #winner

Cole Palmer says he is hungry to get back to his best after missing out on England's World Cup squad.
The Chelsea forward endured a frustrating last season, partly due to a groin injury, but says he is raring to go after a summer break.
"I didn't really know how to deal with it," Palmer admitted when asked about his injury last season.
"The first few months, with me being injured, I just wanted to go out and play. Which I probably shouldn't have done. Obviously I couldn't play how I wanted to play. It was a bad season personally with injuries and stuff but I feel good now. The seven weeks obviously helped. I'm ready to go again."
Palmer was a surprise absentee from Tuchel's World Cup squad, and says it has given him extra motivation to prove himself.

#squad

The ruthlessness of Chelsea’s move for Morgan Rogers in a British record £117m deal from Aston Villa caught many by surprise. Rogers was a long-standing **** nal target and, as The Independent understands, a priority signing for Mikel Arteta from well before this summer.
The England international has impressed in recent seasons for club and country, so much so that debate swirled around who should start between Rogers and Jude Bellingham for Thomas Tuchel’s side at this summer’s World Cup.
Bellingham’s remarkable form underlined his superiority, but that is no slight on Rogers, who has piled up 18 goals and 16 **** ists in the Premier League across the last two seasons.
That is the ninth-most in the league and the same as Cole Palmer, his friend and new teammate with whom he shares the famous ‘cold’ celebration.
Let’s take a deeper look at what Rogers brings, where he fits in and the potential issues that could arise with the England international on board under Xabi Alonso.

#league #summer #international

Former Germany international Lewis Holtby has announced the end of his career on Tuesday. The 35-year-old last played for Eredivisie side NAC Breda, where he regularly featured after his last Bundesliga experience with Holstein Kiel.
The central midfielder previously played for Schalke, Bochum, Mainz and Hamburg in Germany's top-flight league. He also appeared in over 100 2. Bundesliga games with three clubs.
A Fritz Walter gold medalist at the U19 age group in 2009, Holtby also played for English clubs Tottenham Hotspur, Fulham and Blackburn Rovers. After making his Bundesliga breakthrough with Thomas Tuchel's Mainz in the 2010/11 season, he won his only trophy when Schalke beat fierce rivals Borussia Dortmund in the 2012 German Supercup.
Holtby scored 26 goals in 225 Bundesliga games. The Erkelenz native played three times for the Germany national team, with his only competitive appearance coming as a late substitute in a 3-1 win over Azerbaijan during the Euro 2012 qualifiers.
"It's time to say goodbye. After almost 20 years as a pro, my active career ends today. I leave the pitch with pride, humility, and endless gratitude. But one thing is certain: I will never turn my back on soccer. This game will always be a part of me, and I'm looking forward to what's next." Holtby wrote on Instagram.

#mainz #Career #games

Morgan Rogers is set to start for England in their colossal World Cup semi-final against Argentina in Atlanta tonight.
The Aston Villa midfielder, 23, has started just once so far the tournament, in the final group game against Panama, but impressed off the bench against Norway in the quarter-finals.
He is set to play on England's right, taking the place of Noni Madueke, which means Bukayo Saka once again starts on the bench.
England v Argentina LIVE: Latest team news ahead of World Cup semi-final
Thomas Tuchel has an almost fully fit squad of players to pick from, with Declan Rice fully recovered and able to start in midfield for the Three Lions after illness.

ATLANTA (AP) — Lionel Messi faces England in the World Cup semifinals on Wednesday with the chance to move clear of Kylian Mbappé in the race for the golden boot.
Messi and Mbappé are tied on eight goals for the tournament. Messi is also the all-time top scorer in World Cups with 21 goals.
Stopping him is the biggest challenge for England in Atlanta.
"It's just incredible his campaign, this tournament, how he carries that team, it's just absolutely incredible," England coach Thomas Tuchel said of Messi. "There are no words ... left for this kind of achievement, the responsibility and the quality that he shows again in this tournament."
At the age of 39 this could be Messi's last World Cup and he could surpass Argentina great Diego Maradona by winning the trophy for a second time after victory in Qatar in 2022. Maradona led his country to the ****** le in 1986 and was runner-up four years later.

England are one game away from reaching their first World Cup final in 60 years, but standing between them and that opportunity is Lionel Messi.
Speaking to the media in Atlanta on Tuesday, Thomas Tuchel was asked the question everyone expected: how do you stop a player widely regarded as the greatest of his generation?
Messi has already written another chapter in his remarkable World Cup career, becoming the tournament's outright leading scorer with 21 goals after finding the net again during Argentina's run to the semi-finals. Tuchel admitted the thought of ******* igning a player to mark Messi closely had crossed his mind, but he stopped short of revealing exactly how England would approach the challenge. What makes Messi so difficult, he explained, is his ability to read situations before anyone else on the pitch.
The England manager spoke openly about the problems Messi creates. He highlighted the way the Argentine constantly works the ball onto his left foot, often creating ******* e before defenders even realise the danger is developing. Even if a team manages to shut down one aspect of his game, Tuchel acknowledged that players of Messi's calibre usually find another way to influence the match.
While much of the focus centred on Messi, Tuchel was also asked about the history between England and Argentina. The fixture has long carried extra significance, with memories stretching back to moments such as Diego Maradona's infamous "Hand of God" goal in 1986. Tuchel, however, insisted his players would not be drawing motivation from the past, saying a World Cup semi-final against Argentina is big enough on its own.

Declan Rice joined the England squad for the 2026 World Cup carrying an injury and has publicly admitted that he is experiencing so much pain that it can affect him even while sitting still.
Despite the injury, Rice has continued to start matches for England at the World Cup and has delivered solid performances in midfield throughout the tournament.
Thomas Tuchel appears to believe that England cannot do without the ***** nal midfielder, and his importance to the team is clear. However, Rice has not been performing at his usual high standard, with his fitness issues seemingly limiting his influence on the pitch.
Against Norway, Rice produced his quietest display of the tournament so far, as England came close to suffering an upset. Tuchel eventually opted to replace the ***** nal midfielder, a decision that helped refresh the midfield during a difficult contest.
Rice has shown his commitment by continuing to play despite his physical condition, but the demands of the tournament make managing his fitness increasingly important. With every match carrying greater significance, balancing his availability with his long-term fitness has become a major consideration.

England have the chance to take a giant stride towards immortality when they face Argentina in the World Cup semi-final in their biggest match since winning the 1966 final at Wembley.
The Three Lions have reached two World Cup semi-finals in the six decades since then - at Italia '90 and then in Russia eight years ago - but this latest edition reignites an old rivalry, adding layers with history and controversial sub-plots.
England have lost the past two European Championship finals but, under the roof of the futuristic Atlanta Stadium, head coach Thomas Tuchel and his players have the chance to write themselves into legend by reaching the country's first men's World Cup final in 60 years.
The fact it was standing room only at Tuchel's pre-match media briefing, even though it was moved to a bigger venue, illustrates the scale of global interest in this chapter.
Wednesday's match (20:00 BST) is England's latest chance to finally reach another global showpiece - a barrier that has proved insurmountable since Sir Alf Ramsey's side lifted the Jules Rimet trophy in 1966.

England look to end 60 years of hurt as they head into the World Cup semi-finals once again.
Tuchel's Three Lions are set to go head-to-head with Argentina in what will be a historic clash, with captain Lionel Messi to face England for the first time in his career.
Across the years, England have had plenty of highs and lows at the sport's biggest tournament, with drama never far away.
Here, we take a look at how England have fared in previous tournaments.
England's debut appearance ended in a group-stage exit after a shock defeat to the United States was followed by another loss to Spain.

Argentina's dark blue jersey has become more than just an alternate strip. For many, it is part of the team's football folklore, a shirt stitched with some of the nation's most famous World Cup memories - and, perhaps, a little bit of good luck.
When the defending champions face England in Wednesday's World Cup semi-final in Atlanta, Lionel Messi and company will swap their traditional sky blue and white stripes for their dark blue away kit.
Argentina wore dark blue against England in the quarter-finals of the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, when Diego Maradona scored his infamous "Hand of God" goal and dazzling solo effort later dubbed the "Goal of the Century" in a 2-1 victory.
Twelve years later, Argentina again wore dark blue when they eliminated England on penalties in the round of 16 at the 1998 World Cup in France after a dramatic 2-2 draw.
England manager Thomas Tuchel understands the thinking.

ATLANTA — Six coaches have tried to stop Lionel Messi at this World Cup and for the most part, they have all failed.
Of course, slowing the Argentina legend is far easier said than done. Even at 39, Messi has been in scintillating form at his sixth career World Cup.
Messi has eight goals in six matches at the tournament, leading Argentina to the semifinal against England on Wednesday, July 15 in Atlanta.
The seventh coach in the procession is England boss Thomas Tuchel. Faced with the vexing question of how to slow down Messi, Tuchel said he was considering deploying one of his midfielders as a Messi spy during the game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
"I was thinking about if we do a proper old school man-mark," Tuchel said at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday, July 14. "I'm not sure if we'll follow through with this idea, but it crossed my mind."

Thomas Tuchel has admitted has has considered man marking Lionel Messi when England face Argentina in the World Cup semi-finals tonight.
England face their old rivals in Atlanta this evening, seeking to reach theWorld Cup final for the first time in six decades.
Key to beating the world champions will be combatting the threat of Messi, who is the joint-leading scorer at the 2026 tournament with eight goals.
The 39-year-old remains arguably the world's finest footballer, and Tuchel admitted he has been working on plans to minimise his impact.
Among his ideas has been an 'old-school man mark' of the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner.

England manager Thomas Tuchel joked about Lionel Messi potentially coming into their semi-final clash against Argentina at less than 100%.
Another chapter of the iconic footballing rivalry between England and Argentina will enter the history books at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Ahead of Lionel Messi's first-ever clash against England, manager Thomas Tuchel joked about the one thing he's hoping happens to Messi before their clash on Wednesday.
When asked about what major Argentine strength he'd want to take away in the semi-final, Tuchel cracked a joke about Messi catching a cold before emphasizing he wants both teams at a 100%.
"Maybe that Messi will have a cold tomorrow. No no no, we wanna play against the strongest Argentina, and we want to be the strongest England. Of course we'll try to beat them, we want to beat them, and we'll try to find solutions. We want to take the advantages away on the field and be worthy winners."

England face Argentina at Atlanta Stadium on Wednesday evening in the World Cup semi-finals, one win from their first World Cup final appearance since 1966.
Thomas Tuchel's side beat Norway 2–1 after extra time in Miami on Saturday, Bellingham equalising just before half-time before completing his brace in the third minute of extra time to send England into only their fourth World Cup semi-final. The reigning world champions are the last obstacle between England and Sunday's final against European champions Spain, to whom they lost in the 2024 final.
Jarell Quansah serves the second and final match of his two-game suspension for the red card received against Mexico. Jordan Henderson remains out for the tournament with a broken wrist. Otherwise, Tuchel has a fully fit squad available, as he confirmed in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday.
Declan Rice has recovered from the stomach illness that restricted him to 45 minutes against Norway and is confirmed to start. He trained fully on Monday in Kansas City — his first full session since the quarter-final.
Reece James returned from a hamstring injury as a substitute in Miami and is expected to start at right back, with Tuchel satisfied with his recovery. Ezri Konsa continues at centre-back alongside John Stones, with Nico O'Reilly at left back.

England have the chance to take a giant stride towards immortality when they face Argentina in the World Cup semi-final in their biggest match since winning the 1966 final at Wembley.
The Three Lions have reached two World Cup semi-finals in the six decades since then - at Italia '90 and then in Russia eight years ago - but this latest edition reignites an old rivalry, adding layers with history and controversial sub-plots.
England have lost the past two European Championship finals but, under the roof of the futuristic Atlanta Stadium, head coach Thomas Tuchel and his players have the chance to write themselves into legend by reaching the country's first men's World Cup final in 60 years.
The fact it was standing room only at Tuchel's pre-match media briefing, even though it was moved to a bigger venue, illustrates the scale of global interest in this chapter.
Wednesday's match (20:00 BST) is England's latest chance to finally reach another global showpiece - a barrier that has proved insurmountable since Sir Alf Ramsey's side lifted the Jules Rimet trophy in 1966.

ATLANTA — More ghosts loom over England-Argentina than a cemetery. These two nations don’t meet on the pitch very often, but when they do, the stories — and the ghosts — last for generations.
Ask a La Albiceleste fan of a certain age about El robo del siglo, the dubious offside call that helped cost Argentina the match against England in 1966, and get ready for a full-blast dose of South American fury about the theft of the century. Speak the words “The Hand of God” to an England fan in the wrong pub, and you might end up in a river. ****** , these two nations even fought an actual war, even if it was technically “undeclared” and lasted only a bit longer than this World Cup.
Point being, there’s history here, and ultras and casuals alike will be happy to discuss its nuances with you, at length and at volume.
The players and coaches who will meet on the pitch Wednesday afternoon with a World Cup final berth at stake, though … well, they aren’t saying anything.
“If a fixture provides … so many iconic moments, I think you cannot just say it’s just another football match, but as a coach, we do exactly that, focus on what we can influence,” said England manager Thomas Tuchel on Tuesday — or Match Day -1, in soccer parlance. “We don’t speak about the historic events, we don’t speak about the iconic moments. It's in itself iconic enough and the tension is big enough, so we try exactly the opposite.”

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni says he is not concerned about fatigue or his team’s performance before another FIFA World Cup semifinal as they prepare to renew their rivalry with England on Wednesday.
The World Cup holders will be seeking to make it to consecutive finals by beating Thomas Tuchel’s side in a fixture that evokes 1986 and Diego Maradona, as well as the lingering sovereignty dispute over the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic.
“We are in good shape, and we really can’t wait. This is a World Cup semifinal, and our hopes are intact. We are so grateful to these players for getting us here again,” Scaloni told reporters on the eve of the showdown in Atlanta.
Argentina, with an ageing side led by a 39-year-old Lionel Messi, have had to battle their way through the knockout rounds to get here.
Twice they were pegged back before beating Cape Verde 3-2 in extra time. Then they needed a late comeback to defeat Egypt 3-2 in Atlanta, before requiring another draining half-an-hour of extra time to sink 10-man Switzerland 3-1 last Saturday.

England have the chance to take a giant stride towards immortality when they face Argentina in the World Cup semi-final in their biggest match since winning the 1966 final at Wembley.
The Three Lions have reached two World Cup semi-finals in the six decades since then - at Italia '90 and then in Russia eight years ago - but this latest edition reignites an old rivalry, adding layers with history and controversial sub-plots.
England have lost the past two European Championship finals but, under the roof of the futuristic Atlanta Stadium, head coach Thomas Tuchel and his players have the chance to write themselves into legend by reaching the country's first men's World Cup final in 60 years.
The fact it was standing room only at Tuchel's pre-match media briefing, even though it was moved to a bigger venue, illustrates the scale of global interest in this chapter.
Wednesday's match (20:00 BST) is England's latest chance to finally reach another global showpiece - a barrier that has proved insurmountable since Sir Alf Ramsey's side lifted the Jules Rimet trophy in 1966.

England coach Thomas Tuchel confirmed Tuesday that Declan Rice is fit to start in the World Cup semi-final against reigning champions Argentina.
"Everyone is fit to start and everyone was in training except for Jarell (Quansah) who is suspended and Jordan Henderson," Tuchel told reporters in Atlanta on the eve of Wednesday's showdown.
Henderson is out after breaking his arm in a freak accident at the end of England's win over co-hosts Mexico in the last 16. Rice has been struggling with illness and came off at half-time in the quarter-final victory over Norway.
"Rice is ready to start and as well recovered as possible," said Tuchel, who was excited by the prospect of seeing England renew their long-standing rivalry with Argentina.
"It is a big rivalry, two big football nations, everyone who loves football and follows the World Cup knows about this and about what it brings," said the German.

Thomas Tuchel is confident of Declan Rice‘s ability to start England’s World Cup semi-final after he trained on the eve of their last-four clash with Argentina in a huge fitness boost.
England take on Lionel Messi and co in Atlanta on Wednesday seeking to seal a place in Sunday’s MetLife Stadium showpiece.
The Three Lions secured their place in the semi-finals with a narrow 2-1 extra-time victory against Norway in Miami, where the unusually ineffective Rice was withdrawn at half-time.
Tuchel revealed after the quarter-final that the **** nal star had been bedbound for three days in the build-up to the tie having fallen unwell after the last-16 trip to Mexico.
Rice has also been dealing with nagging hamstring pain since Christmas but he trained with his team-mates at their Kansas City base before flying to Georgia on Tuesday.

England beat Norway at the World Cup 2026 after another inspired performance from Jude Bellingham earned a 2-1 win after extra-time in Miami – and next up is a blockbuster clash with Argentina.
Thomas Tuchel's side needed a come-from-behind win after Andreas Schjelderup’s opener.
But Jude Bellingham struck a controversial equaliser before half-time and the tie needed extra-time with the score level at 1-1 after 90 minutes.
Bellingham then followed up a shot early into extra-time to seize the advantage and the Three Lions held on.
Waiting for them in the last four will be Argentina after a dramatic quarter-final win over Switzerland after extra-time.

Jordan Henderson and Jarell Quansah are set to be the only players unavailable for England in their World Cup semi-final against Argentina.
Henderson is still recovering from surgery on the broken arm he suffered while celebrating the win over Mexico in the last 16, while defender Quansah is suspended following his red card in the same game.
It leaves head coach Thomas Tuchel with options as he finalises his starting XI.
The England boss is yet to field the same starting back four in consecutive games at the World Cup but has considered keeping the same defence that began the quarter-final against Norway.
Ezri Konsa, John Stones, Marc Guehi and Nico O'Reilly all started, and it is understood that Tuchel was impressed with how the quartet operated in the 2-1 win.

Manchester United fans would be forgiven for wondering where Kobbie Mainoo was when the club released a batch of images from the first day of pre-season training last week. After all, he has not played a minute at the World Cup, so where could he be?
The answer, unfortunately, is that he has spent the last six weeks warming England’s substitute bench. This, for a player of Mainoo’s calibre, is simply unacceptable and yet another blow in what has been a tricky season for the academy graduate.
While hopes are high that football might finally be coming home, Mainoo has likely given up all hope of playing a single minute in this summer’s tournament and will probably be counting the days until he can return to United and Michael Carrick, a manager who truly respects him.
Since Carrick took charge at the Red Devils in January, Mainoo has reminded everybody of the immense skills he possesses. These are skills that were, for some unknown reason, completely ignored by former United manager Ruben Amorim.
Despite having played barely any football in the first half of the season, the England international excelled after returning to the game and played a pivotal role in United qualifying for the Champions League. His incredible performances, which peaked in a goalscoring display against local rivals Liverpool, rightly attracted the attention of England manager Thomas Tuchel, who opted to include him in his World Cup squad.

Justin Rose is hoping England win their World Cup semi-final against Argentina without the need for extra time so it does not interfere with his preparations for The Open.
The 45-year-old has a 9.36 am (0836 GMT) start time on Thursday, which means he will have to be on course at Royal Birkdale probably at least two hours before, and so would like to maximize the amount of sleep he gets.
However, Rose will take any successful outcome from Thomas Tuchel’s side, even if it does require a late night, with the game kicking off at 1900 GMT.
“I was kind of hoping for a later tee time,” he said. “I’d take a win on penalties if it happened but obviously we’re looking for a short, sharp match and a reasonable bedtime.
“Obviously we’re going to be watching, but at the same time I’m going to watch it with an eye on what’s important for me as well and not get too high and low and keep my own emotions in check.