England manager Thomas Tuchel said he does not feel burdened by history as he bids to lead the Three Lions to a first World Cup final in 60 years by beating Argentina on Wednesday.

The 2026 tournament has seen Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane each score six goals for England. Wednesday's semifinal will be the first time 39-year-old Lionel Messi faces England, despite the historic significance of the fixture.

Former Chelsea, PSG and Bayern Munich boss Tuchel told reporters in Atlanta on Tuesday: 'I don't feel a burden. We feel the tension and will be nervous, but that is normal. What I like is that I feel the players are really competitive, hungry and excited.'

England have not won a major trophy since 1966. The teams have met five times at World Cups, most notably the 1986 quarterfinal when Diego Maradona scored his infamous 'Hand of God' goal.

The German said he would not use the rivalry as 'fuel': 'We know why we are here, we know what we want. We are in the semifinals, and we arrive very hungry.'

Tuchel confirmed Declan Rice is fit after illness, while Jarell Quansah remains suspended after a red card against Mexico. The entire squad trained on the eve of the match.

On Messi, Tuchel said: 'I have no words to describe magical Messi. He has scored eight goals. Argentina have cohesion and an experienced coach. We know how big the obstacle is, but we are ready.'

England's path has been tough, with wins over DR Congo, Mexico and Norway. Tuchel added: 'It is my first World Cup as a coach, and it is rare that everything falls into place. We have not peaked yet, but the match will bring the best out of us.'

Source: www.aljazeera.com