Thomas Tuchel looks back, hurls harsh words post World Cup semi-final

Thomas Tuchel, England‑manager of the “Three Lions” since early 2025, recalls in the FA documentary “Reflections: England’s World Cup Journey” the dramatic World Cup semi‑final in July, which was staged in the USA, Mexico and Canada and saw England eliminated by Argentina, and he says harsh words. He emphasizes that no one is more hurt than he is.

Criticism of Tuchel’s substitution

After the 2‑1 defeat, Tuchel was heavily criticised because his substitutions of Dan Burn, Nico O’Reilly and Ezri Konsa were considered decisive for the late goal.

Anthony Gordon put England ahead in the 55th minute, but Enzo Fernández levelled in the 85th minute and Lautaro Martínez scored the winning goal in stoppage time to make it 2‑1. With that, the team, which could have reached the final for the first time in sixty years, missed out on a place in the final.

The 53‑year‑old manager described the closing stage: “Argentina then played very, very fast. Excuse the language, they played shit‑on‑the‑ball football.” England was overwhelmed by the high speed and the changed style of play of the opponent. Tuchel said: “I thought: We’re not going to survive this. It’s like waiting for death.”

He wondered whether a different decision would have taken England to the final: “You just don’t know.” England finished the tournament in third place, after beating France 6‑4 in the third‑place play‑off. For Tuchel a bitter aftertaste remains; watching the final only as a spectator hurt him deeply and it will still take “a while” to get over it.