Thomas Tuchel says he has ‘no regrets’ about his England tactics, even as Donald Trump shares his thoughts.
Thomas Tuchel has said he doesn’t think he made the wrong tactical calls during England’s World Cup semi-final loss to Argentina.
England was ahead for most of the second half thanks to Anthony Gordon’s goal in Atlanta. But late goals from Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez gave Argentina a 2-1 win and a spot in the World Cup final against Spain on Sunday (July 19). Meanwhile, England will play France for the bronze medal in Miami on Saturday (July 18).
After the match, Tuchel faced criticism for his defensive substitutions, like bringing Ezri Konsa on for Gordon, Dan Burn for Reece James, and Nico O’Reilly for Declan Rice. Once England took the lead, they dropped back near their penalty area and allowed pressure from stars like Lionel Messi, which eventually led to their defeat.
On Friday (July 17), Tuchel explained that English football’s style—its “DNA”—played a role in their World Cup exit, but he also said he plans to stay coach at least until Euro 2028. He said, “At that moment, I felt no formation could have helped us. We were too passive, not physical enough, and couldn’t stop runners in our box. The crosses were wrong too.”
He added, “Ball possession is very important. Maybe it’s not in our English DNA like it is in Spanish or Argentinian-Brazilian football to take control with the ball.”
Tuchel recently stood by his decisions in a press conference before England’s game against France. When asked if he regretted his choices in the last 35 minutes against Argentina, Tuchel said he did not.
“I felt the momentum shifting,” he said. “I trusted my instincts and experience to help the team and get the result. We didn’t get it, but I take responsibility for my decisions. I would regret not trying to help or not reacting.”
He also said he wasn’t interested in blaming anyone else. “This is the job I signed up for. If there’s blame, it’s on me as head coach.”
On Saturday (July 18), former US President Donald Trump also spoke out, questioning why Harry Kane was put in a defensive role as England tried to hold their lead.
“He’s a great player—I’ve played golf with him,” Trump said. “I think they made a mistake playing him in defense after taking the lead. We need to be more offensive, right? But hey, what do I know about coaching? It was unusual.”