England’s World Cup hopes dashed
England’s aspirations of reaching their first men’s World Cup final since 1966 were brought to an end in a 2-1 defeat against reigning world champions Argentina. The semi-final match saw England take a 1-0 lead through Anthony Gordon in the 55th minute, but a late surge from Argentina, including goals from Enzo Fernandez in the 85th minute and Lautaro Martinez in the 92nd minute, secured their place in the final. Both Argentina goals were assisted by Lionel Messi.
The outcome has led to significant scrutiny of England manager Thomas Tuchel’s tactical approach, particularly after his team went ahead. Critics have suggested that Tuchel’s decision to adopt a defensive posture after scoring proved costly. Former England captain Wayne Rooney stated that the team “crumbled” and attributed this to the manager’s decisions, describing the approach as “too passive” against the world champions.
Tactical shift under fire
Following Gordon’s goal, England’s possession dropped significantly, holding just 12% of the ball from the moment they took the lead until Argentina’s second goal. This defensive shift included Tuchel’s introduction of defenders Ezri Konsa, Dan Burn, and Nico O’Reilly after England went 1-0 up. Konsa was brought on for Gordon in the 72nd minute, leading to a switch to a back five, with Burn and O’Reilly following later.
The timing of these changes, particularly the move to a five-at-the-back formation as early as the 67th minute hydration break, has been described as inexplicable. Chris Sutton, a Premier League winner, called Tuchel’s strategy a “coaching catastrophe,” arguing that defending for 30 minutes against Argentina’s quality was unsustainable. He questioned how Tuchel could be trusted to lead the team forward after such a negative approach on the biggest stage.
Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson also criticised Tuchel’s decision to defend a lead against Argentina, suggesting he “got that wrong.” Even Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez noted the change in momentum after England began to sit back, stating that sometimes a team needs to continue attacking when winning.
Player and manager reactions
England captain Harry Kane acknowledged the team’s shift in mentality after taking the lead. He stated, “When we went 1-0 up we seemed to try and hold on, which at this level is not enough.” Kane expressed his disappointment, highlighting the effort the team had put in throughout the tournament. He noted that after the goal, Argentina created “wave after wave” of attacks, which ultimately proved too much for England’s defence.
Despite the criticism, Thomas Tuchel defended his decisions in the post-match news conference. He maintained that he had “no regrets” and believed it was the nature of the game to face criticism after a loss. Tuchel praised his team’s effort, stating they gave everything and played one of their best matches under the circumstances. He also highlighted the team’s mentality in overcoming various obstacles throughout the tournament, including playing at altitude and with 10 men in previous matches.
However, former England defender Micah Richards, while expressing admiration for Tuchel, concluded that the manager “got it wrong” on the biggest stage and needed to accept that. The defeat means Argentina will now face Spain in the final at New York New Jersey Stadium, with a 20:00 BST kick-off on Sunday.
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Source: bbc.com
Adam Rutherford is a Senior Football Correspondent at News-UK. He spent his early career filing match reports across the North West. He focuses on the Premier League, the EFL and the England national side and is known for clear, deadline-driven reporting. He holds a degree in Sports Journalism from Manchester Metropolitan University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Now based in Manchester, he coaches a youth team and watches grassroots football. “Every transfer window hides a dozen real stories.”
