Thomas Tuchel arrived at the English team as the key to ending decades of drought. The German coach, champion at clubs such as Chelsea and Bayern Munich, was hired to give England its second world title since 1966. But history repeated itself.
In the World Cup semi-finals, England lost 2-1 to Argentina. They were leading 1-0 until the 85th minute, but two Argentine goals – from Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez – turned the score around. Another early elimination for a team that promised more.
Strong reviews
The English press was harsh on Tuchel. Headlines such as “Always the same story” and “Tuchel simply retreated” reflected the discomfort. Former England captain Gary Lineker questioned his future.
“He was brought in specifically to take us to the other side of the line. Is he the right man? He was completely wrong in the big moment,” Lineker said on ‘The Rest is Football’.
Wayne Rooney also took aim at the coach’s decisions.
“It’s a real panic. You can’t go 1-0 up and then give the ball away. Tuchel’s decisions cost us tonight,” he told the BBC.
Tuchel, for his part, took responsibility.
“As soon as you lose, they criticize you. I am responsible for the decisions. I accept the criticism,” he declared.
The contrast with Southgate
Tuchel’s predecessor, Gareth Southgate, was criticized for being too conservative in decisive matches. He led England to two European Championship finals, but without success. Tuchel, with a more aggressive tactical background, should have made the difference. It didn’t happen.
Mark Bullingham, the FA’s chief executive, described the defeat as “heartbreaking”. The wait for a world title continues.
