England and Argentina are set to battle it out for second place in the final of the 2026 World Cup. Here’s what Thomas Tuchel and Lionel Scaloni have in store for us.
Who will join Spain in the final? We’ll find out tonight in this second semi-final between England and Argentina. A superb clash, made all the more significant by a historic rivalry linked to the Falkland Islands. This will, in fact, be the first meeting between the two nations in over 20 years, and it will therefore be the first time Lionel Messi has faced the Three Lions.
All eyes will therefore be on ‘La Pulga’. Not least because the Inter Miami player could overtake Kylian Mbappé in the top scorers’ table for this 2026 World Cup, with both men having found the net eight times so far. The Argentines are dreaming of a historic back-to-back victory, whilst the English are keen to finally end their drought and have significant assets to cause the Albiceleste problems, starting with a Jude Bellingham in scintillating form and a Harry Kane who remains as lethal as ever up front.
A star-studded line-up on the pitch
For this clash, Thomas Tuchel is expected to field a classic line-up. Pickford will be in goal, protected by a Guéhi-Kosa centre-back pairing that has been performing rather well so far. O’Reilly and Reece James will occupy the full-back positions. In midfield, Rice and Anderson will start, with Jude Bellingham playing in a slightly more advanced role. On the wings, Gordon and Saka are set to start tonight, whilst Kane will lead the line up front.
Opposite them, Emiliano Martinez will be in goal, with the familiar back four of Tagliafico, Martinez, Romero and Molina in front of him. Scaloni will once again shore up the midfield with Paredes, De Paul, Mac Allister and Enzo Fernandez. Up front, Julian Alvarez is likely to be selected once again to partner Lionel Messi. Kick-off is at 9pm!
OM transfer news: Grégory Lorenzi’s worrying revelations…
After leaving SB29, the former sporting director of the Breton club has joined OM. And the overall situation at the Marseille side is far from rosy.
A very candid Grégory Lorenzi appeared before the media, alongside Bruno Genesio, for his introductory press conference. When asked about various hot topics such as the transfer fee for Mason Greenwood, the former sporting director of Stade Brestois spoke with complete honesty. He did the same when the journalists present asked him to give an update on OM’s current situation, particularly with regard to the transfer window.
“To be perfectly honest, you’re all aware of the club’s worrying financial situation. The best balance is between sporting and financial considerations. You have quality players whose market values are higher. I’m not going to tell you that we won’t consider attractive offers for key players – I’m not going to lie to you. But not everyone will be leaving. We have a clear financial objective and constraints imposed by the DNCG to ensure we achieve essential financial stability. We are subject to DNCG regulations. We want to have a competitive team. It’s not straightforward; it’s easy to say,” he said, before adding that Marseille remained ambitious.
“Yes, we’re forced to sell players.”
“Marseille has always been an ambitious club and must remain so. Our ambition is to win matches and ensure OM performs as well as possible to secure a place in European competition. It’s easy to say that, but we have to achieve it whilst dealing with the constraints we face on a daily basis. This transfer window is taking a long time because the World Cup isn’t over yet. There will be one team starting the league in August, and perhaps by September it will be a different one. We’re all dealing with a transfer window that we have to manage, but don’t think we’re not working on it. (…) The club’s priority is to restore its financial health. If we can’t achieve that stability, we’ll face major difficulties; we’ve made commitments to the DNCG and UEFA. This requires a reorganisation. Yes, we’re obliged to sell players. This will involve sales or loan deals that will allow us to rebalance the squad; it will take a little time.”
Given this rather alarmist tone and scaled-back ambitions, Lorenzi was inevitably asked about the sort of signings he hopes to bring in at a time when the Marseille club is primarily focused on selling players. “Rebuilding a squad with players already under contract – some will leave. Players who are familiar with Ligue 1 and capable of meeting the demands of European competitions. It’s about striking the right balance with young players who will add value to the club. You can bring in players of a certain calibre, but if you don’t find that synergy, it won’t work. It’s important to have players with character, talent, and young players to develop. Beyond that, it’s not about a single transfer window. It’s built over the medium to long term. If every year you bring in 10 or 15 players and let just as many go, you create an imbalance.” A word to the wise…
