England manager Thomas Tuchel has defended the tactical decisions that drew criticism during the team’s 2-1 World Cup semi-final defeat by Argentina, saying he accepts responsibility for the substitutions that changed the shape of the match.
England had taken a 1-0 lead through Anthony Gordon and were within minutes of reaching their first World Cup final since 1966. However, Argentina equalised through Enzo Fernandez before Lautaro Martinez scored the winner.
.webp "Thomas Tuchel Defends England’s World Cup Semi-Final Substitutions")
Tuchel switched England to a back five during the second half, a decision that attracted criticism after Argentina increased the pressure. He acknowledged that the change may have come too early but explained that he felt his team was struggling to cope with Argentina's attacking approach.
The German coach said a crucial moment came when Djed Spence made a last-ditch tackle to prevent Argentina from creating another major opportunity. Tuchel said the incident changed his thinking and convinced him that England needed additional defensive protection.
He also pointed to the demands of England's route through the tournament. The team had faced a difficult schedule that included a long period trailing against DR Congo, a match in the high altitude of Mexico and extra time against Norway in intense conditions.
Tuchel said Argentina had changed their attacking structure repeatedly, at one point committing several forwards to the final line. He believed the back-five system would give England greater protection against crosses and provide additional defenders centrally.
The manager acknowledged that he could have made more attacking substitutions instead. However, he said there was no guarantee that a more aggressive approach would have produced a different result.
"If we would have been more stable in the game, with more percentage of ball possession, I would have not changed the structure," Tuchel said, explaining that his decisions were based on what he saw during the match.
Addressing the criticism directly, Tuchel said: "You can try to kill me here. But it's my scar, it's not your scar." He added that he was responsible for the decisions and would have to live with the outcome.
England ultimately finished third at the World Cup after beating France in the play-off for third place. Tuchel's side will now turn its attention to the Nations League, beginning with a meeting against Spain on September 26.