For 70 minutes against Argentina in the World Cup semifinal, England looked like a team that had finally figured it out. Anthony Gordon’s 55th-minute goal was the kind of breakthrough this squad had been chasing for years — a sharp, one-touch finish off a cross that sent the English bench into a frenzy. Gordon, all of 25 years old, had his first World Cup goal. The Three Lions had a 1-0 lead in a semifinal. Everything was working.
Then Thomas Tuchel changed everything.
Gordon came off in the 71st minute. In came Ezri Konsa, a defender. England stopped pressing. They dropped deep. They invited Argentina to come at them. And Argentina, being Argentina, did exactly that.
The reaction online was fast and brutal. One fan on X, @RkFutbol, put it simply: “So what did Tuchel change for England?” The answer, apparently, was nothing helpful. Another user, @tosinmm, wasn’t holding back: “England have been BEGGING for an L. Thomas Tuchel is a massive nerd, and this is all his fault. Good.” Someone else, @Alkaline, questioned the logic behind his hirings altogether: “How did Tuchel end up coaching Chelsea and the England National team?”
Miguel Delaney of The Independent went even harder. On X, he wrote that Tuchel’s tactical display was “close to sackable.” Delaney pointed out the federation spent big money to bring in Tuchel specifically for his tactical reputation and his supposed ability to finish tournaments. As Delaney put it: “A coach appointed at great expense for his tactical acumen and ‘ability to get over the line’ has needlessly driven England miles from it. All that money… for that?”
Argentina didn’t need a second invitation. With England sitting back, Enzo Fernández equalized in the 81st minute. Then Lautaro Martínez, who had been quiet most of the game, found space in the box and finished it. 2-1. Game over. England’s World Cup dream collapsed in 20 minutes of passive soccer.
The frustration makes sense. England had Argentina on the back foot. They had Gordon running the channels, creating space, testing the defense. And then Tuchel decided the lead was enough. It wasn’t. That approach works against some teams. Against Argentina, in a World Cup semifinal, it’s a recipe for disaster.
What comes next for Tuchel and England is unclear. The federation hasn’t made any statements about his future. But when a reporter from a major outlet says a performance was close to sackable, and the fanbase is openly mocking the game plan, the pressure is real. England was one win from the final. Now they’re headed home, and the questions about Tuchel’s judgment will follow him all the way back.
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