Tuchel privately rejects claims he told England to hang on against Argentina

Thomas Tuchel has privately rejected accusations that he encouraged his England team to try to hang on against Argentina in their World Cup semi-final defeat.

The head coach has come under fire for sending on three defenders while his team were leading through Anthony Gordon’s second-half goal.

As exclusively revealed by Telegraph Sport, England players were shocked by the changes and the fact Bukayo Saka was left on the bench.

Telegraph Sport understands that Tuchel’s message to his England substitutes was to “play higher” during the 2-1 loss in Atlanta.

Tuchel retains the Football Association’s backing, following England’s World Cup exit, but he will be subject to the normal review once the World Cup is over.

The German will argue that he did not cost England a chance of qualifying for the final through negativity and will also highlight the physical impact of the tournament on his squad.

After the Argentina game, Tuchel insisted he had no regrets over his approach and some of those close to him have been shocked by the criticism he has received.

It is believed that Tuchel felt his team had already dropped too deep ahead of the final hydration break before he made any substitutions.

There are claims that rather than sending on his substitutes to sit deep, Tuchel told them that they needed to “play higher” and try to help the team get up the pitch.

That did not happen and Argentina scored two late goals to win the game and dump England out of the World Cup.

Tuchel is also believed to think that the games at the Azteca Stadium, where England beat Mexico, and the extra-time victory over Norway in Miami, took too much out of his squad physically.

Thomas Tuchel has blamed England’s football “DNA” for their semi-final exit against Argentina but is adamant that he is the right man to take the country forward. 

The German coach was heavily criticised for his tactics during defeat after surrendering a 1-0 lead, although he has the backing of the Football Association.

One of the damning statistics at Atlanta Stadium was that England had 12 per cent possession between Anthony Gordon’s opening goal and Enzo Fernandez equalising for Argentina.

Former England manager Gareth Southgate spoke frequently about England needing a No 6 to control games and Tuchel hit back at his critics by claiming the problem was retaining possession.

“I think ball possession plays a crucial role,” said Tuchel. “It’s maybe not in our DNA like it is in the Spanish DNA or Argentinian or Brazilian DNA. To take the ball, control the game and the ball which is also a big problem.

“We struggled physically as well, through the whole touranment playing in the heat, playing in the altitude, playing with a man down and so on. It cost us a lot in the end. We gave everything but it was not enough.

“We got too passive within our structure. I tried to help, not too become more passive with a back five in our structure but to be more active, to be quicker out to the wingers, not to open up the gaps between the back four. I think in this moment my feeling is that no structure in the world could have helped us because we were too passive.”

Tuchel also spoke of the injuries that England have faced, with Reece James breaking down in the semi-final after his comeback from a hamstring injury. Declan Rice also struggled with illness in the quarter-final and semi-final, while Jarell Quansah was suspended for both matches. 

The England manager, whose contract runs through to Euro 2028, is determined to transfer what he sees on the training pitches to England facing elite opposition at major tournaments starting with the European Championship as co-hosts in two years.  

When asked if he wants to be the coach to take the team forward to the Euros, Tuchel said: “Yes, 100 per cent. There is still enough to improve, and I am more than happy to do that. 

“I loved every day [of the World Cup]. I said after the Norway game that I see a disconnect from what I see in training on a football level and within the games I think we can impose ourselves more on the ball. 

“I still think we can show how good football players we are. I think that is still in us, as I see it in training and in every camp. And here also at the World Cup. I still feel there is an extra level that we need to conquer and need to step up to the next level to get the big prize.” 

Tuchel will now prepare his players for the World Cup bronze match against France on Saturday in Miami, where he must decide whether to play those who have not featured during the tournament yet.

Kobbie Mainoo and Trevoh Chalobah are the outfield players who have not stepped on the pitch, while Ivan Toney was brought on for the final moments of the Argentina defeat. England will then fly home and attention will turn to who will force themselves into Tuchel’s plans, with Liverpool winger Rio Ngumoha, 17, impressing during the pre-tournament friendlies in Florida.  

“It just takes time and you have to bounce back. That is what sport demands. High level sports demands that of us. That’s basically the next step,” Tuchel said.

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