Former England international Kyle Walker has provided strategic recommendations to manager Thomas Tuchel regarding how to handle Lionel Messi during Wednesday’s World Cup semi-final match against Argentina at Atlanta Stadium. Walker, who concluded his international career in 2025 with 96 caps, remains highly impressed by the 39-year-old Inter Miami forward, who currently leads the tournament scoring with eight goals and two assists.
Writing for The Sun, Walker identified Messi’s lack of defensive tracking as a potential tactical opening for England, though he noted that Argentina’s cohesive team structure effectively protects this limitation. The former defender explained that Messi intelligently preserves his energy for offensive production, a trait that proved vital during Argentina’s 2022 championship run. Regarding defensive tactics, Walker expressed skepticism toward a strict man-marking strategy. He warned that assigning a specific player to follow Messi could inadvertently create dangerous spaces elsewhere on the pitch and might further motivate the star forward. Ultimately, Walker suggested that England should focus on team organization rather than attempting to provoke Messi with individualized marking.
