‘Don’t poke the bear’ - Walker begs Tuchel not to adopt man-marking Messi in semi-final showdown

Messi has been tremendous for Argentina at the World Cup, scoring eight goals as the team progressed to the semi-final.

The Argentine legend kick-started a comeback against Egypt in the round of 16 and also pushed his team to the last four by defeating Switzerland in the quarter-final.

With England now their next opponent in the semi-final, there has been a debate on the tactics needed to stop Messi from influencing the game. 

Walker, who faced Messi in a Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain, recalled the frustration of containing him. 

"We had him under control for 70 minutes and, all of a sudden, he did a one-two with Kylian Mbappe and bent it in the top corner," he explained. 

"You’ve done all that grafting to try and stop him, and then he sticks it in the top bin. That’s why he’s probably the greatest player of all time."

This experience highlights the futility of trying to completely nullify Messi's threat. While his defensive work rate might be seen as a weakness, Argentina's system is built to compensate. 

Assigning a player to shadow him risks overfocusing on one individual, potentially leaving space for others. 

Furthermore, such a tactic could be seen as a personal challenge by the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner.

"I don’t think it’s going to work for us," the player noted. "He’ll probably take it as a personal challenge to actually show people that you can’t man-mark him. I’d say don’t poke the bear."

The team has already navigated difficult challenges, including a tough match against Mexico in a hostile stadium atmosphere and a victory over a resurgent Norway side boasting a new generation of talented players.

However, facing Argentina, the reigning World Cup champions, presents the most formidable challenge yet. 

With Lionel Messi still in top form, this encounter will be the ultimate measure of England's progress and ambition on the world stage.