England's Strategy Against Messi: Insights from Jamie Carragher

Jamie Carragher has seen enough of Lionel Messi to know one thing: you don’t stop him. You survive him – and then you go after him.

On the eve of England’s World Cup semi-final against Argentina in Atlanta, the former defender believes Thomas Tuchel’s side must treat Messi as both the problem and the opportunity.

“It's nothing new with Messi. He's been around for 20 years and no one has found the answer,” Carragher said, summing up the challenge facing England’s back line. The 39-year-old has dominated this tournament, with eight goals and two assists, dragging Argentina towards a second straight World Cup final.

Tuchel’s plan will inevitably start with how to slow him down. Carragher is adamant it cannot end there.

‘He walks about’ – and that’s England’s chance

“There has to be a plan. I don't think it will be a man-marking job, but they need a plan,” Carragher insisted. “You're coming up against arguably the greatest player of all time. He's shown that in this tournament too.”

Then came the twist.

“Also, they should be thinking about how they can exploit Lionel Messi as well. He walks about when the opposition have got the ball, so that doesn't mean England's left-back should stand next to him for the whole of the game.

“They can exploit the fact that Argentina only defend with nine outfield players.”

That is the fault line Carragher wants England to hammer at. When they build from the back, he does not want to see their left-back glued to Messi, paralysed by fear of the counter. He wants aggression, bravery, and the courage to leave the great man on the periphery when England have possession.

If England are bold enough, Messi’s reluctance to defend could become as important as his genius with the ball.

Hoping for another ‘Croatia-type’ game

Carragher also sees a broader pattern that could favour Tuchel’s men. He expects Argentina to come onto England, not retreat into a low block, and that – he believes – suits this side.

“I don't think there's too much between the teams. I'm hoping that this game has got elements of the Croatia game in it, where you're playing against a side who fancy themselves as a good team,” he said.

“I certainly don't think they'll be getting everybody behind the ball. They'll try to tackle us, and will that leave space for ourselves to attack? Their full-backs like to go high and wide, but they don't really play with wingers, so maybe that's something we can exploit.”

That detail matters. High and wide full-backs, no natural wingers, Messi not tracking back – it creates lanes for England to drive into, especially in transition. Carragher wants England to turn this into a game of space, not a siege.

He is honest, though, about what has come before.

“I'm hoping that it's a different type of game than what we've seen from the majority of England games throughout this competition. I still don't think England have been anywhere near the best in performance-wise.”

The semi-final, in his eyes, demands a level they have not yet touched.

Tuchel’s blunt verdict on Norway defended

Tuchel’s own standards were laid bare after the quarter-final win over Norway in Miami. England went through, but the German did not spare his players, criticising their quality on the ball and saying they almost threw the game away.

The comments landed in a dressing room already drained by brutal conditions. Temperatures nudged past 33C, with humidity pushing the feel closer to 40C. Jude Bellingham, fresh from scoring twice, bristled when asked about Tuchel’s assessment, hinting the coach did not fully grasp how punishing it had been on the pitch.

From the outside, it looked like a flashpoint. Carragher is having none of that.

“I didn't think there was anything wrong at all with Tuchel's comments,” he said. “He's probably a little bit emotional after the game. England didn't play particularly well and could have easily lost that game against Norway.

“I totally understand Tuchel. We know what he was like at Chelsea. That's one of his plus points. He tells you straight. You've seen him against [Djed] Spence in this tournament.

“In a World Cup, a manager's got to be decisive. He's got to make big decisions, he's got to tell people straight. You can't wait. Things need to happen right away. I thought the interview from the manager was brilliant.”

As for Bellingham’s reaction, Carragher sees it as the flip side of the same emotional coin.

“Jude, again, he's emotional after the game. He's just scored a couple of goals, and then he's realised how hard it was on the pitch, and the conditions as well. I could understand that, but Thomas Tuchel will be absolutely fine with that.”

In other words: this is the friction of elite sport, not the sign of a fractured camp.

Saka over Madueke – no holding back now

Selection-wise, Tuchel’s options are clearing. Declan Rice is fit. Reece James has minutes in his legs after returning as a substitute against Norway. The real debate now sits on the right flank.

Noni Madueke has started four games this summer. Bukayo Saka, his Arsenal team-mate, has three starts and has been wrestling with his fitness. Both have flickered. Neither has fully caught fire.

Carragher is clear which way he would go.

“I think Madueke's had a lot of chances in this tournament,” he said. “It hasn't quite happened for him. Saka certainly hasn't been at his best, but as we know, he's not 100 per cent fit.

“I'm just hoping with each minute or longer he's on the pitch and other appearances, we start to see a little bit of what we know of Bukayo Saka.”

This is not the night, he argues, for saving legs for a game that might never come.

“These are the games you take a chance in. If he's right, or you think you can get something from him, you've got to pick him. There's no worrying about what comes after that. I know it's a World Cup final after that, but this game is too important.”

So England walk into Atlanta with a simple, brutal equation. Find a way to live with Messi. Use the space he leaves behind. Trust Tuchel’s hard edges. And, if Carragher has his way, gamble on Saka in a semi-final that will define how this generation is remembered.