Wayne Rooney has claimed that England should be delighted to face Argentina instead of Switzerland in the World Cup semi-final, arguing that the Swiss are a more dangerous opponent due to their organisation. The Three Lions booked their place in the last four with a 2-1 extra-time win over Norway, while Argentina overcame Switzerland 3-1 after a tight contest.
Rooney's Surprise Preference
Speaking to the BBC, Rooney said: 'I think I'd rather face Argentina. I think Switzerland are really organised in how they play and I think they could be a tricky game for England.' Despite Argentina boasting Lionel Messi, Julian Alvarez and Enzo Fernandez, Rooney believes the reigning champions are more suitable opposition than a well-drilled Swiss side.
Warning Over England's Performance
Rooney was clear that England must improve significantly to reach their first World Cup final since 1966. He said: 'I go back to Thomas Tuchel's interview after the game and I slightly disagree with Micah [Richards] and Alan [Shearer] on it because I think he's done that purposefully. He's done it to show everyone that the performance wasn't good enough.'
He added: 'When you come up against a Spain, France, Argentina or Switzerland, who are a big threat in this tournament as well, you can't afford to not play well. What they'll do is take the ball off you, make you work and punish you. Norway didn't punish England with the opportunities they had.'
Tuchel's Tactical Warning
Rooney praised England manager Thomas Tuchel for using his post-match comments as a warning to the players. 'It's very clever from Tuchel again, it's sort of the first time we've seen that throughout this tournament. The players deserve a huge amount of credit going to Mexico in that climate and the recovery to get through this game in Miami in that heat. But tonight's performance is a warning sign for the next game,' he said.
