Thomas Tuchel has admitted he is unaware of Argentina's push to wear their 'lucky' blue kit in the World Cup semi-final against England. The reigning champions were listed as Team B but formally requested to wear their second strip due to their history against England at major tournaments.
Historical Context of the Kit Choice
Argentina have a notable record against England when wearing their blue and navy second kits. They won iconic matches in 1986 (the Hand of God game) and 1998 while wearing blue. Conversely, when wearing their home strip, they lost to England at the 1966 and 2002 World Cups. The FA communications lead Andy Walker clarified that England were designated Team A, meaning Argentina would wear their away kit.
Tuchel's Response to Superstition
Tuchel, when asked about the significance of the kit, said: "You talked to the wrong person, who was not aware of what kit we will be wearing until tomorrow's warm-up. Argentina plays in blue and we play in white and that is because it's a lucky shirt or they chose this?" He added: "If there was any superstition then I would have done the same so credit to Argentina. I was not aware of that, I have my superstitious routines, you can call it superstitious or routines, I will not tell you that because if I tell you, it will not work. I can't but we have routines that keep you grounded and calm through the day and that will not change. These things are just normal in high-level sport."
Praise for Lionel Messi
Tuchel also praised Lionel Messi, who has scored eight goals in the tournament: "It's just incredible this campaign, this tournament, how he carries that team. There are no words left for this kind of achievement. He's just a leader and the key player in any team that he plays. You can see their experience in tournament football." He admitted he has considered deploying a man-marking system to nullify Messi's threat.
Focus on England's Game
Tuchel concluded: "We are here to play our way, we are here to play the semi-final and play the luck our way. We're ready for it."
