Tuchel: 'We want to take the next step'

Thomas Tuchel insists “no one is satisfied” with reaching the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-finals as England look to make history against Argentina.

The Three Lions take on the reigning world champions in Atlanta on Wednesday night with a place in Sunday’s final against Spain up for grabs for the winners.

England go into the game having made it to the previous two EURO finals and reached the last four at the 2018 World Cup and quarter-finals in Qatar four years ago.

After coming from behind to knock out Norway on Saturday, Tuchel says his players are “hungry” for more than the latter stages as they bid to add a second star to the shirt in the United States.

“We want to take the next step,” Tuchel said at his pre-match press conference at Atlanta Stadium on Tuesday evening.

“I like the switch of energy in our camp. I feel the players are very excited. I feel they’re very ambitious for this semi-final.

“No one is satisfied and that’s exactly the right mixture to have the performance that we need for tomorrow.”

Tuchel confirmed that Declan Rice is fit and ready to start after recovering from illness, with only Jarell Quansah (suspension) and Jordan Henderson (injury) unavailable against Argentina.

"Everyone is fit to start, except Jarell [Quansah] and Jordan [Henderson],” Tuchel added. “Declan [Rice] is ready to start and [had] as good a recovery as possible.”

The England head coach also discussed the magnitude of the game against Argentina and insisted that his players won’t be using the history of the fixture for extra motivation.

The Three Lions have met La Albiceleste at five previous World Cups and have come out on top on three occasions, including a quarter-final victory on the way to winning the trophy in 1966. 

“It’s a big rivalry,” Tuchel said. “It’s two big football nations, like everyone who follows football, everyone who follows the World Cup knows about.

“We expect tomorrow [to be] an intense match, we expect an emotional match. I expect a match with a lot of momentum swings and anything else would surprise me.

“We don’t use it [history v Argentina] as a fuel. We know why we’re here. We know what we want.

“We were never shy of expecting that from us, of saying it, of dreaming it. We are in the semi-finals. We arrive very hungry in the semi-finals. We want to have the next win.

“We respect our opponent but we don’t dip into historic events, we don’t make it any bigger than it is. It’s a big football match. 

“It’s like you said, a big occasion. We are very excited, grateful, but very hungry and ready to go.

“We know how big the obstacle is. We know how big the ask is but we’re ready for it.

“We prepare for the best version of Argentina. We expect and hope and demand the best of ourselves tomorrow.”