England are 60 years without a major trophy.
Only one member of the 1966 squad is still alive. Now they stand within touching distance again, with Lionel Messi's Argentina in the way.
On this week's special episode of The Performance Edge, presented by PEAK4 and Mike Phelan Coaching, guest host Andrew Greaves asks not if England can win, but how, where, when and why tournaments are won at the elite level.
He is joined by a powerhouse panel.
- Mike Phelan: three major finals played and won as a player, six coached and won from the technical area.
- Neil Harris: coached three of the current England squad as youngsters, plus Anthony Elanga and Ballon d'Or contender Scott McTominay.
- David Horrocks: a sports scientist and psychologist with more than two decades in Premier League performance.
Beyond the Soundbites
Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane have scored 12 goals between them this tournament. Phelan and Harris skip the great run, great finish clichés for the technical detail behind those moments.
Morgan Rogers' strike through a crowded box was no fluke, the panel argues. It is the payoff of a strong end to the season with Aston Villa, form that won Thomas Tuchel's trust in the absence of Cole Palmer and Phil Foden.
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How Do You Stop Argentina and Messi?
Argentina have reached the semi-final under Lionel Scaloni's fluid 4-3-3, but needed extra time twice against weaker sides.
| Metric | Detail |
|---|---|
| Messi's tournament goals | 8 of Argentina's 14 |
| Argentina clean sheets in knockouts | 0 |
| Goals conceded in last 3 matches | 5 |
Messi is the tournament's joint top scorer, still given licence to roam. The panel's question is simple: stop Messi, or stop the supply?
Argentina have not kept a clean sheet in the knockouts, conceding five in three matches. Cristian Romero and Lisandro Martinez anchor the defence, both familiar foes from the Premier League.
Survival, and the Risk of Winning
Winning across North America's time zones is its own battle. David Horrocks breaks down the physical toll of travel, hotels and climate, and reveals the due diligence Manchester United ran on a young Jude Bellingham, scrutiny that went far beyond the pitch.
Mike Phelan weighs the calculated risk Sir Alex Ferguson demanded of his teams against the caution that cost Gareth Southgate in the Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy.
Can England finally end 60 years of hurt, or will Messi write one last chapter of World Cup history? The answers are less than 24 hours away, in the fine margins that decide the biggest games in football.
Listen to the full episode of The Performance Edge now, available on Spotify and YouTube.
