German Thomas Tuchel was appointed coach of the England national football team with a clear mission: to win the 2026 World Cup. So far, everything seems to be going well as his team prepares to face Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, in the semi-final on Wednesday.

The German coach has overseen a largely positive atmosphere in the camp, where he was seen dancing with his players in the locker room in Mexico City after a hard-fought win over the hosts.

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But his tone changed after a 2-1 win over Norway in the quarter-final on Saturday, when he described his team's performance as 'lucky'. He said: 'The result is great. Reaching the semi-finals is amazing, but I am not happy with the performance.' This cautious assessment was met with a sharp response from midfielder Jude Bellingham, who scored twice and led England's comeback after falling behind 0-1. The Real Madrid player said after an exhausting 120 minutes in the sweltering Miami heat: 'Whatever, whatever.' The relationship between the two men is complex, but this exchange was a clear reminder that Tuchel is not afraid to speak his mind.

The 52-year-old coach will not care about angering Bellingham, who has scored six goals and once again proven himself as England's man for the big moments.

The English Football Association was fully aware of what it was getting into when it hired the former coach of Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, and Bayern Munich to replace Gareth Southgate in 2024.

Southgate had reshaped the team during a largely successful period, breaking down barriers between players from different clubs and creating a cohesive unit.

But his country's team could not cross the finish line, exiting in the semi-final and quarter-final of the World Cup and losing two European Championship finals.

- 'Victory' - Tuchel, outspoken and strong-willed, arrived as one of the top coaches in world football, carrying league titles with Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich.

His most notable achievement was winning the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021 in Porto, where he tactically outclassed then-Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola.

Tuchel selected a squad of 'specialists' for the 2026 World Cup, sparking controversy by excluding a number of prominent players, including Cole Palmer, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Phil Foden.

He admitted that he enjoys the pressure of making big decisions, despite the intense scrutiny of his choices.

The 'Three Lions' entered the World Cup finals in Canada, Mexico, and the United States as one of the top contenders, and so far their coach's decisions seem spot on.

In the round of 32, substitute Anthony Gordon, recently transferred to Barcelona from Newcastle United, set up both of Harry Kane's goals and led England's comeback to avoid an embarrassing defeat to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In the next round, Tuchel brought on several defenders, and his team held on with ten men to secure a 3-2 win over Mexico at the Azteca Stadium.

One of the most iconic images of that match in Mexico was giant defender Dan Burn repeatedly clearing the ball, a perfect embodiment of the 'brotherhood' concept that Tuchel advocates.

Tuchel began his first international coaching experience in January 2025 after signing an 18-month contract.

At the start of his tenure, he said his goal was to add a 'second star' to England's shirt, alongside the only star symbolizing the 1966 World Cup win.

He convinced his superiors that he was the right man for the job, signing a new contract that extends through Euro 2028 in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

England has rarely reached its peak level in the current tournament, but each time it has found a way to win, and it has not hidden that it came to be crowned champions.

The next step is a tough match against the experienced and defending champion Argentina on Wednesday in Atlanta, before a possible meeting with France or Spain in the final.

Tuchel stands two matches away from glory and from fully justifying his appointment.