"Coaching Catastrophe": Ex-England Stars Slam Thomas Tuchel For Loss To Argentina
Argentina were 0-1 down with around 16 minutes left in regulation time, but they bounced back to beat England 2-1 to enter the final of FIFA World Cup 2026.
- Argentina defeated England 2-1 in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final in Atlanta
- Former England players lashed out at coach Thomas Tuchel's strategy after the team's loss
- "England handed Argentina the initiative... that was a coaching catastrophe from Tuchel," said Chris Sutton
Argentina registered yet another comeback victory at the FIFA World Cup 2026. This time, England were at the receiving end of La Albiceleste's brilliance. On Wednesday, Lionel Messi inspired the side to a 2-1 win in the second semi-final in Atlanta to book a summit clash against Spain. Argentina were 0-1 down with around 16 minutes left in regulation time. Enzo Fernandez scored the equaliser before Lautaro Martinez struck a stoppage-time goal, thanks to assists from Messi, to send Argentina into the final.
Anthony Gordon scored the opening goal for England in the 55th minute. However, their head coach Thomas Tuchel adopted a defensive approach after that, which eventually cost the Three Lions a place in the final.
Former England players lashed out at the coach's strategy after the team's loss.
"We have crumbled. It started from the manager and the decisions he made. It was too passive. Against this team, the world champions, you will not get away with it. This has been the biggest test and we have failed it," ex-England captain Wayne Rooney told BBC Sport.
Another former England skipper, Alan Shearer, said, "The difference is hanging on against Norway or Mexico [in the last 16], they have not got the quality this Argentina team have got in terms of their ability on the ball and their ability to punish you.
"Tuchel played his cards very, very early and it has backfired."
Meanwhile, ex-England goalkeeper Joe Hart said, "Norway and Mexico panicked against England. I didn't see one bit of panic from that Argentina side. I saw belief, I saw them realising they could free up the great man Lionel Messi in the pocket, and they were running all over England.
"Gareth Southgate took a lot of criticism for the big moments with England, when they had the lead in big games and shut up shop. I don't see that anything has changed in that big moment out there."
Chris Sutton, a striker who played one game for England and was a Premier League winner with Blackburn in 1994-95, said, "The fact that England got themselves in front and then basically handed Argentina the initiative... that was a coaching catastrophe from Thomas Tuchel.
"You can't expect to defend for 30 minutes against the quality Argentina had.
"It's all on the coach where I am concerned. He made the changes. He was negative, so the question I'm going to ask is, 'How can you trust Thomas Tuchel to take this team forward?'"
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