Thomas Tuchel says the World Cup exit is because of a weakness in the English football ‘DNA’ in a clear and strong statement.
Thomas Tuchel has shrugged off the idea that his tactics caused England’s exit from the World Cup, instead suggesting that English football struggles in some areas compared to other countries.
On July 16, it was reported that some England players were surprised by Tuchel’s choices, especially the defensive changes, during their semi-final loss to Argentina.
After Anthony Gordon scored in the 55th minute, England pulled back into a deep defensive block and faced heavy pressure. Between the 55th and 92nd minutes, England only had 12% possession—the lowest in 60 years for a team leading for at least 10 minutes in a World Cup game.
Tuchel’s decision to substitute Gordon for Ezri Konsa and switch to a back-five defense didn’t work out well. In the final moments, Argentina looked like they might score several times after making some strong moves.
The Telegraph said some England players were “stunned” by Tuchel’s choice to bring on three defenders to protect the narrow lead. The team believed Argentina was beatable after Gordon’s goal and thought they could have used quick counter-attacks to score more.
In a post-game interview, Tuchel was asked if he thought his decisions were wrong. He replied, “No, that’s just how football goes. When you lose, people criticize, but no one really knows what would have happened if we did things differently.”
Almost a day later, Tuchel firmly defended his tactics, pointing to the English football style as a bigger issue. He told Sky News, “No structure would have helped because we were too passive, not physical enough, and we didn’t stop players running into our box. The crosses were also off.”
He added, “Right after the goal, momentum shifted completely and our possession dropped a lot. We couldn’t win duels, so we dropped deeper—though that wasn’t the original plan. We couldn’t stop runners from the midfield and their deliveries were very good. You need the ball to break pressure and take back momentum. That kind of ball control might not be in our DNA the way it is for teams like Spain or Argentina and Brazil.”
Tuchel, who doesn’t see switching to a back five when leading 1-0 as a bad move, said, “We just became too passive in our shape. We actually want to be more active, quicker to the wingers, and not leave gaps in our defense. We encourage the players to step out and be active, but we’re struggling to do that.”
He also mentioned that the tough conditions in the tournament made things harder physically. “Playing in heat and at altitude, plus sometimes being a man down, took a toll on us,” he said.
Despite England’s World Cup disappointment, Tuchel still has the support of the FA. His original contract was supposed to last just until after the World Cup, but he signed an extension in February to stay on for two more years.
Tuchel remains positive about the future. “There’s a lot to improve, and I’m happy to work on that. I believe we can control the ball better and show how good our players are. I see it in training and at the World Cup. We just need to reach the next level and then go for the big prize.”